Law and Disorder
by CCS AnGeL00
Summary: [Gohan/Videl, AU] In an alternate universe where Satan Videl is a detective for the Satan City Police Department, she's forced to learn the meaning of "partnership" when detective Son Gohan enters her life.
1. Case 1: A Prescription for Murder

-**About Law and Disorder**-:  I'll tell you how it all started. Ilana came home from college during the summer and made me sit in our room and watch old reruns of Law and Order. I ADORE that show now. The witty humor, the funny bad guys, the handcuffs, what's not to love? People have set the standard for these cop/detective fics and I've decided to break 'em all =D Videl is a homicide detective for the SCPD, working under Captain Son Goku.  Everything is going fine and dandy, until Goku breaks the news to her: She's getting partner, which happens to be his son. Special appearances will be made by Vegeta (as the District Attorney) his Prosecutor wife, Bulma and their son, Trunks who gets them all the fun gadgets. Krillin is Bulma's partner in prosecuting and Yamcha and Yajirobie are smart-ass cops who love to bother Videl and try to get laid.

Sounds like a fun place to work right?

**-Disclaimer hoedown- **

I don't own Vegeta and that makes me sad

But I do own Leather!Gohan and that makes me glad

So if you want to sue me, just go ahead and try

Because I'll just make you feel guilty when you make me cry!

Law and Disorder

By CCS Angel00

Brought to you by: Waves and Rocks, baby!

  
  


--------------------

Case #1: A Prescription for Murder

--------------------

_Downtown Satan City_

Erasa parked her car in front of the apartment building of Nagami Yuu. She quickly surveyed the area, making sure no one that she knew was around and stepped out of her car. Quickly running her hand through her short blond hair, she quickly tugged at the length of her skirt and walked calmly into the apartment building. She frowned as she saw an attractive young main with a long braid rush out of the building, practically knocking her over. Erasa shrugged and rushed to catch the door before it closed, vowing that nothing would be able to ruin her good mood. She sighed in anticipation of seeing her lover. She knew it was forbidden and sinful because he was a co-worker and already married, but maybe that's what made it so exciting. Erasa knew Nagami Yuu's wife was out of town on business and this was the perfect time to see him. Looking into the elevator mirror one last time to check her appearance, she was pleased with what she saw.

Erasa walked the familiar well-worn path to his apartment door; the butterflies in her stomach were fluttering around anxiously. She reached for the bell, ringing it three times (her code, for him to know it was her at the door). Scowling when she didn't get a response, she turned the doorknob opening the door. She looked down in surprise but hurried in the apartment. It wasn't like someone as careful as Yuu to not lock his door. 

"Yuu?" Erasa called softly. "Yuu?" she called a little louder. Her heart was pounding. What if someone had broken in? What if they were still here? She quickly surveyed the small apartment, finding nothing missing and no one, including Yuu, in site. "He must have left the door open for me. Aww, he's so sweet," she grabbed a bottle of wine that was one the table, which was already open. "It seems he was expecting me. What a sweetheart." Erasa poured herself a glass and sat on a black leather couch in the living room, making herself comfortable as she waited for Yuu. 

Three hours and five glasses of wine later Erasa felt a sharp pang in her stomach. "Augg... I think I drank too much," Erasa collapsed to the floor, her hand over her mouth to keep from throwing up. She felt her body convulsing and the pains in her stomach increased. When she looked down at her hand, she saw blood. As she stumbled to the phone to call 911, she felt one last convulsion and then only darkness.

---

Satan City Police Department 

Satan Videl felt excited for the first time in weeks. She had to stop herself from skipping to her beautiful black mustang GT convertible, still having an image to keep up. At the age of twenty-eight, Videl was a well respected homicide detective for the Satan City police department. She took her work very seriously, putting it above everything; herself and her dysfunctional love life included.  But, today she felt would be a great day. 

There was a new case about a young woman's suicide that might have been disguising a homicide and Captain Son Goku had asked for her in particular to go investigate. It was a blow to all the male egos, which she couldn't have been happier to supply. Then, Goku had called her up late last night to tell her about some "surprise" he had in store for her. 

"Am I finally going to get to become a lieutenant?" she wondered as she stopped at a red light, pulling out a carton of cigarettes and liting one. "Lieutenant Satan Videl. I think it has a nice ring to it. Hmph, it would certainly put all those men in their places. Especially those pompous higher-ups," Videl thought with a smirk, taking a long drag from her cigarette.  "I guess my little authority complex doesn't help matters.  But Vegeta has been one of the biggest male influences on my life, so you would think they would be used to it by now."

She pulled up to her parking space, stepped out of her beloved car and pressed the button on her keys to lock it. Videl straitened out the skirt of her black and grey pinstriped suit. After adjusting her sunglasses, she unbuttoned the first three buttons revealing an off-white collared shirt with a silver tie. She took what was left of the cigarette out of her mouth and flicked it away from her. Walking briskly to the station, she waved to some of the police officers she was familiar with and walked straight to the door on the Captain's office. "Excuse me, sir?" Videl called, knocking on the door.

"Come in, come in!" Goku called.

Videl opened the door and was surprised to see that her Captain wasn't alone.  He was sitting with a man that looked about her age and bore an uncanny resemblance to Goku.  The newcomer had black spiky hair and dark eyes that hid behind a pair of black plastic framed glasses. Also like Goku, he had an incredibly sculpted physique, so much so that she could notice even with the suit he was draping over it.   And he wasn't horrible looking either.  What the hell was someone else doing when she was about to get a promotion?  Oh well, she'd ignore it for now.  "Sir? You wanted to see me before I went downtown to the recent crime scene."

Goku stood up behind his desk, a proud smile on his face. "Even though we've only been working together for a few months, you are perhaps the finest homicide detective I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Have I ever told you that?"

_Keep it cool._ "Not recently," Videl said with a perfectly blank expression, the one that she has mastered over the years of living with her father.  "But thank you sir."

"And wouldn't it make sense for me to want the best detective in all of Satan city to show a new detective the ropes? You know, hoping they could learn from one another?" Gohan hid a laugh. When had his father become so good at manipulation? Better yet, could he be as good?

"I suppose so, sir. But what does that have to do with me?" This didn't sound like the inauguration of a new lieutenant.

"It has a lot to do with you. Satan Videl, meet your new partner, Son Gohan," Goku made an impressive sweep of his arms.

Videl's took her sunglasses off for the first time, looking right at the Captain. "Are you serious? What did I do wrong?" She twisted a piece of hair agitatedly.

Gohan wasn't sure if he should feel offended by this comment. 

"You did nothing wrong! It's just I would feel better knowing you were showing him the ropes. My wife would kill me if her 'baby' got shot," Goku rolled his eyes. "Don't you have anything to say, Gohan?" Goku grinned again. 

Gohan held out his hand. "I didn't mean to be rude. It's nice to meet you Ms. Satan. It really is an honor being your partner," his smiled faltered as she looked coolly at him.

"Likewise."  He could tell by her voice that it really wasn't. "Just Videl is fine." She quickly took out her lighter and lit a cigarette, sitting on the Captain's desk with her legs crossed. She could tell immediately Gohan wasn't a smoker. _All the better to piss you off with, my dear_. Videl purposely blew the smoke in his direction after giving her superior one last glare. 

"And Videl," Goku said. 

"What?" she asked. What else could this man possibly want from her? She forced herself to keep a straight face as he held up a "No smoking" sign in front of her.

"You know what that says?" 

"Yeah, the same thing as that." She pointed to the no smoking sign on the door. "But I don't give a fuck!" She gave him a sweet smile and turned to his son." Well? Let's get going Rookie. We have a mystery to solve," Videl jumped from the desk and walked off, leaving her new partner in her dust.

"Err, I would prefer you call me Gohan," he was met with an icy glare. "But Rookie is fine. I'm sure I'll grow to like it." Gohan rushed to keep in step with Videl. "So, tell me more about this case." 

Videl pointed to her Mustang. "Get in the car." Lighting up another cigarette she started, "A girl apparently committed suicide last night. Her body was found by a garbage dump across the street from an apartment building," Videl narrowed her eyes. "I think there's more to this case then meets the eye."

"There usually is," Gohan commented dryly, loosening his tie.

As they approached the crime scene, Videl waved to two familiar police officers. "Yo Videl!" Officer Yamcha called.

"Hey," Videl nodded. "This is Son Gohan. My tentative partner."

"She's joking," Gohan gave her a dark look. "I'm her new partner, like it or not."

Yamcha shrugged. "Anyway," Videl looked at the corpse as the EMTs put her on a stretcher. "What's the deal here?"

Yajirobie looked up from his donut. "EMT reports a fairly high BAC, but not high enough to be fatal.  It wasn't even high enough to be considered alcohol poisoning. There were no marks or bruises on her body either." He looked thoughtful. "There were blood spots around her mouth though. It was probably an internal thing."

"But why would she commit suicide by a garbage dump?" Gohan wondered out loud.

"Maybe she didn't commit suicide after all," Videl muttered. "Do you know the name of the person that called to report the murder?"

"Uhh..." Yamcha looked down at his pad. "A Nagami Yuu. He apparently works in the same school as her. He said that he was on his way home from the school when he saw the body in the dump. He lives in that apartment building," Yamcha pointed to the building.

"After we get the results from the forensic analyst, I say we bring down Mr. Nagami for a little visit," Gohan stated.

"I think you're right," Videl smirked. "How 'bout 'good cop, bad cop' to get some answers out of our new friend?"

"I bet I know who's going to be the bad cop," Gohan sang. 

"You bet right!"

---

_Forensics Lab_

Sharpner took a huge bite out of his turkey hero as he carefully studied the contents of the plastic bag in front him. He quickly wiped the mayonnaise he accidentally dripped on the bag off. Through hours of testing, he concluded that the white substance used to be Valium tablets, about five hundred milligrams each. Taking her drivers license and ID out of her bag he handed them to the two detectives. "Lot Erasa. Sixty-four inches tall, about a hundred and twenty pounds. Age twenty-eight. Teaches art at Orange Start High School. Not married."

"Well I guess she can't take you to the prom now," Videl said dryly.

Sharpner grinned. "You know you're the only girl for me, babe. I gave you my class ring, remember?" He turned serious. "Preliminary cause of death is an overdose of a benzodiazipene, probably Valium or some other generic product along those lines.  She died at about ten, ten-thirty, give or take, based on the condition of the body, and so on.  You guys have heard all this before.  It looks like a classic suicide. There were no bruises, cuts or signs of struggle. Her clothes were in almost perfect condition except for the two day old bagel with cream cheese that was stuck to her skirt.  No traces of semen or vaginal fluid and no fingerprints anywhere, though we're still sweeping."  At Videl's disbelieving look, Sharpner shrugged.  "If she was crazy enough to kill herself, do you think she really cared about the location?"

"But someone could have drugged her drink, couldn't they?"

Sharpner shrugged. "It's a possibility. I just cut up the dead bodies; the rest is up to you guys. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with what I presume used to be a pretty woman.

"Why did you want to do this for a living again?" Gohan asked.

"It's the only way he could meet girls," Videl grinned.

Gohan rolled his eyes. "I'm going to use the phone to call the station to see if Nagami came down to the station." His eyes widened. "Is this brains on the phone?"

Sharpner looked thoughtful. "That was yesterday's tuna."

----

Satan City Politce Department; Suspect Interrogation Room 

"Coffee? Cigarette?" Gohan asked, getting into the role of the good cop. "Munchkin?" Yuu shook his head, feeling slightly unnerved by the detective's kindness. "Your loss." Gohan popped a handful in his mouth.

"So, Mr. Nagami. Tell us one more time what happened on the night of Ms. Lot's unfortunate departure," Videl carefully worded.

Yuu's lawyer, Mr. Naoki nodded at him, giving him the go ahead.

"I already told you," Yuu huffed. "I was coming home late from the school because I was grading papers. When I came home I went to throw out my garbage… and…" he looked down at his hands.  "You know.  That's when I saw the body."

"Can you tell me around what time you left school?" Videl crossed her legs and set her gaze on Yuu.

"About eleven thirty," Yuu said.

"Really?" Videl stood up and paced slowly. "Because I have three eye witnesses that say you left at nine. What were you doing for the other two hours and thirty minutes? Perhaps committing a random act of violence against a pretty co-worker?"

"I didn't kill her!" Yuu jumped up suddenly.  "I DID NOT KILL HER!"

"Are we supposed to act surprised every time someone lies to us?" Videl asked Gohan. He shrugged. "Look, Nagami. I've been doing my homework. It says here," Videl looked through his file. "When you were twenty, you were charged with drug possession.  I do find it rather odd that when you were arrested, they found over twenty pounds of Valium and Prozac in your home along with other prescription drugs.   Gohan, what was the cause of death in this case?"

Gohan flipped through papers nonchalantly.  "Hm.  We've got a pretty good lab down here, Mr. Nagami, and they're pretty sure that it was a fatal dose of a little benzodiazepine that goes by the name of diazepam."

Videl nodded.  "Also known as Valium.  Mr. Nagami here seems pretty familiar with that little sedative."  

"I DIDN'T KILL HER!" Yuu banged his fist on the table. "I paid for my past and I'm clean. I haven't used since then. I had no reason to kill her. If people think I'm still using, I could lose my job!"

"Tell us," Gohan put his hand on his chin. "What was your relationship with Ms. Lot?"

"Co-workers," Yuu replied.

"And you never spent time with her outside of work?" Videl asked. "Before you answer that, I should tell you that many people have seen you together and they saw her go up to your apartment on the day of her murder." Videl leaned in. "You're a married man, aren't you?" Videl started pacing again. "Let me break it down for you. You were having an illicit affair with her, you didn't want your wife to find out, so you drugged her wine and moved her body to the garbage dump. Isn't that right?"

"No!" Yuu protested in a strangled voice. "I... I loved her. I would never do anything to hurt her!" He sighed, knowing the moment of truth had come. "I did come out of the school at around nine, but NOT to kill anyone. I was meeting up with... an old friend..."

"What kind of old friend?" Gohan asked, taking off his glasses and wiping them with a cloth.

"I can't tell you that," Yuu breathed.

"Videl, I'm pretty new here, but what does our friend DA Vegeta like for murder one?"

"Twenty-five to life.  Have any plans for that time span, Mr. Nagami?"

"I can't go to jail," his eyes teared.  "I have a wife, I have a three year old daughter!"

Gohan's eyes flashed angrily.  Videl almost gasped; she'd never seen him angry before.  "Where were your wife and daughter when you were fucking your coworker?  We found her blood stains on your carpet. Care to explain that?" Gohan waved his hand. "Wait, wait.  Let me guess. The blood fairy came and since you were such a good boy this year she left you an extra present." Videl almost fell over. "You said you found her in the garbage dump, but that isn't true, is it?"

"When I came home I found her dead in my apartment. I couldn't let my wife find out I was having an affair so I took her body down to the dump and then called the police.  I know it was wrong!"  he shook tears from his eyes.  "I panicked, I was upset, and I didn't know what to do!"

"That's hampering prosecution as is," Gohan said. "Our prosecutors will not be pleased about this. And hey, speaking of which, neither will your wife!"

"You won't tell her will you?" Yuu panicked.

"It depends if you cooperate with us.  We're trying to be patient, Mr. Nagami.  Now, who were you meeting?"

Nagami was spared from answering by a knock on the door.  A beautiful woman with long blue hair and sparkling sapphire eyes entered swiftly.  She carried a leather briefcase, which she placed on the table and opened.  "Good afternoon, Mr. Nagami.  My name is Bulma Briefs, and I'm this state's assistant district attorney.  I just got off the phone with Sharpner, our medical examiner, and he had interesting news.  They found a partial on the body, and guess what?  It's a perfect match to you.  I'd suggest rethinking your position of silence."

Nagami's eyes widened and he looked fearfully at his lawyer.  Naoko sighed.  "I want my client granted immunity if this goes any further."

"Man two, five years minimum."

"Man two!"  Naoko was outraged.  

Bulma narrowed her eyes.  "Your client's fingerprints were found on the body and the victim was killed in his apartment!  We could indict him for murder one right now, Mr. Naoko."

"But they're only partials!"

"Wait," interrupted Nagami."

"Yuu!"

"No, it's alright.  I know who killed Erasa.  It was the same person I was supposed to meet that day.   It had to be the leader of a local drug gang.  He and I go way back."

"I don't suppose you were college buddies?"  Videl asked casually, lighting another cigarette.

"I owe him money," Nagami admitted.  "A lot of money.  He's been after me for years, and he finally caught up with me.  He told him that I needed to pay up or…"

"Or...?" Gohan asked.

"He would kill me. At around ten I went to my sister's house--"

"What's her name?" Videl asked patiently.

"Fujisawa Ai. She said she would lend me the money. I didn't want to worry her so I didn't want to tell her the real reason I needed it for. I told her it was for a down payment on a new car I wanted," Yuu felt himself tearing up. "I couldn't let HIM destroy my new life. I couldn't let him hurt my family."

"Who is 'him'?" Videl asked.

"He goes by the name Zarbon. He's usually with Ginyu and his goons. There's no mistaking Zarbon was definitely the brains behind this particular operation," Yuu laughed in spite of himself. "I'm sure they were behind this. Maybe for revenge against me, I don't know. All I know is that I didn't kill her!"

Videl looked thoughtful. "Where can we find this... Zarbon?"

"He owns a club called Ginyu Groove. It's on the corner of Satan and sixth street. He's usually there doing business at around twelve or so."

Videl sighed. "We're done, for now.  Get him out of here."  

As Yuu and his lawyer left the room with a guard, Videl lit another cigarette and blinked as Gohan looked at her. "Smoking is bad for your health, you know."

"So is pissing me off," Videl took an extra long drag of her cigarette. "So what do you think? Do you think we have enough evidence to indict the cheating bastard?"

Gohan shrugged. "How can we be so sure it was him? He wasn't there at the time of the murder. He was with his druggie buddies, remember? His sister also verified he was there at said time. We got nothing."

"Her blood was on his rug! He admits to moving the body." Videl took another puff. "And of course his sister would cover for him, she's his sister.  But… I do remember that a witness said she saw a very beautiful man with a long braid coming out of his apartment right before Erasa came out."

"So? We knew he was a cheating scumbag. Now we know he's a freaky cheating scumbag."

"But what if it _was_ Zarbon? What if he planted the drugs in the apartment which was meant for Nagami, but Erasa took it by mistake?" Videl grimaced. "You know what we have to do."

Gohan blinked. "Monitor him?"

Videl restrained her from smacking him. "And where would we go to monitor him?"

"You don't mean... but never in my life have I ever... What would I wear?"

Videl grinned. "Let's go the experts, shall we?"

---

Briefs Residence 

"For you Videl I'm thinking, trashy, sluttish, reject from the crack whore version of Mulan Rouge. And for you my dear Gohan, I was thinking..." Bulma looked at her husband who was lounging on a couch nearby. Vegeta, the District Attorney for Satan City was trying to contain laughter at ridiculous nature of this little makeover adventure. "A Biggy Smalls, P Diddy, pimp, feathered jacket and gold chains look."

"Oh. Joy," Videl said dryly. "I always wanted to look like Street Walker Barbie."

"Can't we skip the formalities and just shoot him?" Gohan complained.

"That wouldn't be nearly as much fun, now would it?" Vegeta smirked at the forlorn looking pair. He pulled out a camera from the closet and continued to torture them. What could be more fun then torturing Kakkarot's son and his partner? "I think I'll hang these up in my office when the night is through. Kakkarot will probably want doubles."

"Kakkarot?" Gohan asked.

"Your father. College nickname. Fraternity thing. Don't ask." Vegeta grinned. "I haven't seen you this excited since the time you held your boyfriend at gun point," Videl coughed, avoiding any of Gohan's curious looks.

"You are a son of a bitch you know that?" Videl spat at Vegeta as she threw Bulma a cigarette and lit her own.

"I know I'm a son of a bitch. I like being a son of a bitch.  The hours are good and there's no heavy lifting," Vegeta answered smoothly.

"Come on," Bulma shoved Videl into her room before a fight broke out. "How much makeup did you bring? Is this a corset?!" Gohan felt himself blush. Would she actually wear that? Could he make it through the night without passing out?

"She has a boyfriend?" Gohan found himself asking Vegeta.

"That girl has had more boyfriends then the Titanic had casualties. She's convinced it's commitment problems, but we all know it's because she dates freaks, idiots and weirdoes," Vegeta pulled a chicken leg from the refrigerator and starting eating it. "Her current loser boyfriend is a divorce lawyer," Vegeta scoffed. "You think being in that line of work one would learn not to argue with a female who owns her own gun."

"Divorce lawyers are God's way of telling you to stay single," Gohan commented offhandedly. "So did they-- Oh my GOD--" Gohan pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Was Videl Satan standing there in front of him with a black and red lace corset? He hadn't known her for all that long, but by the look on her face and the look on Vegeta's face, this obviously wasn't her thing. Her black hair was hanging straight down her back, reaching her shoulder blades. Three necklaces, all with spikes and one leather choker adorned her slim throat. Her skirt used to be a black slip she wore under a dress she owned when she was eighteen. Her stockings were thigh high, fishnet style, with black silk ribbons at the top. Gohan noticed with her spiky Mary Jane shoes, she was at least five inches taller then before. On her hands along with the many black and silver bracelets was a pair of black fingerless gloves. On her left arm, a piece of black lace with tied to it, completing the Goth-Sex-Goddess look.

"Rocky Horror MELT DOWN," Vegeta's eyes almost bugged out of his head.

"Well? Where am I supposed to put my gun?" Videl asked. Not only was this uncomfortable, but her face felt like a mask with all the makeup she had on. She had gray and black eye shadow applied heavily over her blue eyes, which were already outlined with black liquid eyeliner that went slightly off her eyes making them look more dramatic. Her already pale skin looked even paler and her lips were a bright scarlet.

"Somewhere I don't want to know about," Vegeta commented getting on the carpet to look for his fallen chicken leg.

"Now for your turn! I have a lot of leather from last Halloween so don't worry!" Bulma pulled the shocked Gohan into her room.

Trunks Briefs, teenage computer genius and the Briefs' first-born child, entered the room.  He looked once at his father who was on the ground and once at the scantily dressed woman who looked kind of familiar. "You know," Trunks prayed his nose wouldn't start bleeding. "This is usually the part of the dream when I wake up."

Videl searched in vain for a part of her body where she could strap her gun, accidentally flashing Trunks a good portion of her cleavage. Before Trunks could pass out from massive blood loss, he remembered why he was here. "I have the earpieces and cameras." He reached up with shaking hands to pin the tiny camera on Videl, but couldn't find a place that wouldn't offend her.

She took the pin from his hands and pinned it on herself. "Thanks kid, but I don't want to get tetanus or-- Hello there!" 

Vegeta looked over to the newly emerged Gohan and dropped his already fuzzy chicken leg for the second time. "For the love of all that is good and holy--" A man could only take so much shock in one day.

Gohan bashfully put his hand on the back on his newly gelled hair. He was wearing a tight, black, sleeveless shirt and even tighter black leather pants. He too was wearing the spiked jewelry and many leather collars. His black leather boots glittered in the light as it reflected off the small silver chains. He adjusted the mid arm length fingerless gloves to better fit his hands.

"Can you see without your glasses?" Videl asked once she got her voice back.

"I'm wearing contacts," Gohan took two small steps. "I think a whole cow community was killed for this outfit. So, what should our names be?"

Videl smirked, putting her earpiece in and passing one over to Gohan. "I'm kind of fond of... Wind."

"If you say so... Evil."

"Nice one," Videl nodded in approval. She pressed the button on her earpiece to activate it. "Sir? Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you loud and clear, Evil," Goku chuckled. I've got Yamcha and Yajirobie dressed like a couple of homeless men just outside of the club. They should be of some use. A few other police officers are in a small red van monitoring your progress." 

"10-4, over and out," Gohan said testing out his earpiece. 

"Good luck," Bulma gave them a thumbs up. "You guys look GREAT!"

"Don't screw this up, Rookie," Videl hobbled outside. "I don't want to die in these clothes, that's for shit sure."

"You don't trust me at all, do you?"

"Well, I'll tell you what. You make it through tomorrow without killing anybody, especially me, or yourself, then I'll start trusting you."

Gohan paused. "Fair enough."

---

The Ginyu Groove 

"We're in," Videl whispered. Glancing around, trying not to get blinded by the lighting or get thrashed by the dancers, she grabbed Gohan and pulled him toward the back. "Zarbon should be in the back room."

"How do you know?" Gohan asked.

"Don't you ever watch movies, Gohan?" Videl ran a hand through her hair, wincing as she stabbed herself with her bracelet. "He'll be here." Feeling distracted and slightly dazed by the lights and her new partner in leather, Videl didn't notice a hand on her shoulder until it was too late.

"Hi baby, I've never seen you around here before," A man with a bleached Mohawk and three eyebrow rings drawled. He licked his lips as he gave her the once over.

"Why don't you go back to the mother ship?" Videl spat.

"Not without you, sexy!" 

"Listen you Mr. T wanna be," Gohan pulled Videl protectively towards him, hoping his jewelry hadn't poked her eye out. "She's with me, so I suggest you back off if you want to leave with all the parts you came with," he growled in a dangerous tone. "Isn't that right, love?" Gohan emphasized his point by giving her slim waist a squeeze.

The Mohawk guy quickly backed off, muttering apologies and getting away from the muscled and obviously strong man. "Convincing," Videl said peeling his arm off of her waist. "But I can take care of myself."

"I know, _baby_," Gohan grinned. "But that was so much more fun, don't you think?"

"Nothing about wearing lace and leather is fun, _dear_," Videl glared at the young man who was having way too much fun on this mission.

Gohan looked at the curious eyes fall on them. "I'm sure we can make it fun," Gohan tried to hide his laughter as his partner restrained herself from smacking him upside the head. He narrowed his eyes as a spotted Zarbon talking to a few women, obviously enjoying himself. "Target spotted."

"Go in for the kill," Goku answered back. "We need a full confession or we've got nothing." He adjusted the knobs and dials on the large machine, showing Yamcha and Yajirobie waiting in a nearby lot. "Yamcha? Yajirobie? Keep watch by the backdoor to make sure no one escapes. And Yamcha? You're not hitting on any women are you? You need to stay focused."

"That's a negative sir," Yamcha pulled at his fake dreadlocks. "No self respecting girl would want to date someone who looks like they haven't showered since... ever!" Yamcha sniffed his dirty trench coat. "Oh my God, I smell like six week old CHEESE!"

"Yajirobie still manages to get dates," Goku said innocently. "So there's hope for you yet."

"Thank you, sir. Over and out," Yamcha looked over at Yajirobie who was grumbling unhappily. "Don't be too depressed Yajie! Even though Videl and all the other female cops in Satan city have rejected you at one time or another doesn't mean you're a total los-- err... that sounded a LOT more reassuring in my head."

Back in the club, Videl and Gohan approached Zarbon cautiously. "It takes a very secure man to dress like that," Videl muttered, taking in Zarbon in all his sparkled, feathered and leathered glory.

Zarbon pulled his braid over his shoulder, smiling as he spotted the couple. "I've never seen you two here before," he cooed, looking right at Gohan. "I would have remembered seeing someone as... delicious as you before. Come, let's go into my... office."

Videl bit her lip to keep from laughing as her partner tried not to gag as Zarbon put his hand on his arm. "We're first timers. A friend recommended us to go here to... have a good time," Videl said innocently. "This is some business you have going."

A short, scarlet skinned man with long white hair walked. "Boss--" Videl noticed his strange Scottish/British/Canadian accent, and wondered where he had come from.

Zarbon picked the man up, shaking him roughly. "Haven't I ever told you not to interrupt me when I'm doing business?"

"Uh, yes, but I think we're being--"

"BUT NOTHING!" Zarbon smack him across the face, making him fly out the door. "Where were we?"

"Well. Nagami Yuu actually recommended we come talk to you about... business," Gohan slid his fingers across the leather chair, feeling more then slightly sick. "Money is no issue of course." _That was too close._

"Nagami... that idiot," Zarbon growled, an angry look painting his beautiful face. "That bastard owed me a hell of a lot of money."

"Did you hear how he killed that girl?" Videl asked, her eyes widening in shock.  "How is he going to pay you from jail?"

"Hmph," Zarbon muttered. "A minor setback. The prick screwed me over AGAIN."

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked. "Anyone that could pull off a killing like that has to be so devious, so sneaky, and so thoroughly twisted."

Zarbon nodded. "I know I am." Zarbon's eyes darkened. "Too bad I didn't get the right person."

_BINGO!_ "What do you mean?" Videl's hand instinctively reached for her gun.

"I meant for that fucker Nagami to die, not that stupid slut," Zarbon lit a cigarette. "But I guess it turned out all aright in the end. He'll rot in jail while I get off scott free. Don't you just love the justice system?"

"Yea, I do," Gohan pulled his gun out. "You're under arrest jackass, for first degree murder, drug possession, second degree groping and first degree ogling."

"WHAT?! You made up the last part," Zarbon growled.

"Look, our DA is such a bastard, he'd indict a turkey sandwich if he was given the chance. I could get you for anything I want," Gohan smirked as Videl handcuffed the beautiful man.

"I'm sure you already know you have the right to remain silent. By all means, use it," Videl made the handcuffs extra tight.

"You think you're so much smarter then us," Zarbon hissed. 

"Well," Videl faked modesty. "Not much."

Yamcha and Yajirobie burst in, knocking the door down. Yamcha peeled off his mustache and dreads. "Come on. Time to go join your friends," Yamcha roughly pushed Zarbon towards the door. "The inmates will be so happy to have a new roommate as pretty as you! Good job guys," Yamcha winked at the two leather-clad detectives. As if looking at Videl for the first time, Yamcha's eyes widened. "Oh Videl—"

"Look. My head hurts, I have five pounds of make up on, these heels are killing me, I'm starved, I'm nicotine deprived, I'm tired and I'm armed. Back the fuck off," Videl growled pulling Gohan out of the club.

"Any bets on how long it takes for them to sleep together?" Yamcha asked as he and Yajirobie rode away in their police car.

"In the next month, I'm willing to bet Videl breaks up with divorce lawyer Ken, sleeps with Gohan and then forms a lasting relationship after a few weeks of soul searching and conflicts with mixing business and pleasure," Yajirobie predicted, taking a bite out of his donut. "Care to wager… two hundred?"

"Fuck. No."

Yajirobie frowned. "Why not?"

"I'm a cop. I don't think I have two hundred in my whole savings account."

"How about you give me the personal satisfaction of being right for once?"

Yamcha and Yajirobie looked at each other. "Nah," they said in unison.

----

Coffee Shop 

Krillin and Bulma sat with Gohan and Videl sat at a small coffee shop called "Satan's Sanka" discussing their "night on the town" with the two persecutors.

"What happened last night?" Krillin looked at the state Gohan and Videl were in. They both had bags under their eyes; Gohan kept falling asleep on his donut and Videl looked like she had developed a permanent limp.

"Oh, gunfight, explosions, sharks, boys in leather, you know, the usual," Videl sipped her coffee, nudging Gohan awake in the process. "But it was all worth it to see my Rookie partner get hit on by the male perp!"

"Don't worry Gohan," Bulma patted his arm. "He'll be going away for a long time."

Gohan whimpered in response.

"It's not everyday you get hit on by such an _attractive_ murderer," Videl winked at Krillin and Bulma.

Gohan muttered something incoherent under his breath. 

Videl lit up a cigarette. "Oh, don't complain Gohan. There will be more fun days ahead of us if you keep working as hard as you did last night. And I'm not promising anything, but if those leather pants make a repeat performance I might be willing to let you drive the get away car once in awhile. _Maybe,_" she teased.__

Gohan grinned for the first time that morning. "Do you think we can make a compromise? How about if I wear those leather pants to work, then you wear the outfit you wore last night and come home with me and tell my mother that we commenced our love by selling our souls to the devil and did holy Krishna chants while spitting nickels?"

"You couldn't get me to wear that outfit for all the humiliating Gohan moments in the world," Videl blew the smoke in his face. "Plus, I hear your mother's a real head case about getting you 'settled down'. I do _not_ want to mess with the woman who once gave your father a concussion by hitting him with her Teflon pan."

"That happened on more then one occasion actually," Bulma smirked. 

"Once she put me in a coma for two weeks when I accidentally put a hole in her kitchen wall," Krillin said thoughtfully.

Videl took another drag of her cigarette, giving Gohan and meaningful look. "'Nuf said."

----


	2. Interlude 1: Aisawa Ken: The Boy Who Fi...

  


-About Law and Disorder-: I'll tell you how it all started. Ilana came home from college during the summer and made me sit in our room and watch old reruns of Law and Order. I ADORE that show now. The witty humor, the funny bad guys, the handcuffs, what's not to love? People have set the standard for these cop/detective fics and I've decided to break 'em all =D Videl is a homicide detective for the SCPD, working under Captain Son Goku. Everything is going fine and dandy, until Goku breaks the news to her: She's getting partner, which happens to be his son. Special appearances will be made by Vegeta (as the District Attorney) his Prosecutor wife, Bulma and their son, Trunks who gets them all the fun gadgets. Krillin is Bulma's partner in prosecuting and Yamcha and Yajirobie are smart-ass cops who love to bother Videl and try to get laid.  
  
Sounds like a fun place to work right?  
  
  
-Disclaimer hoedown-   
I don't own Vegeta and that makes me sad  
But I do own Leather!Gohan and that makes me glad  
So if you want to sue me, just go ahead and try  
Because I'll just make you feel guilty when you make me cry!  


Law and Disorder  
By: CCS Angel00 

Chapter 2 co-written with: Absolut Angel  
Brought to you by: Waves and Rocks, baby!

--------------------  
  
Interlude # 1: Aisawa Ken... The-Boy-Who-Fibbed?  
  
--------------------  
  
Trunks packed up the equipment slowly, eager to engage in further conversation with his companion. Gohan had departed for a debriefing (although in Trunks' opinion, Goku had called because Chi-Chi wanted her son home for dinner) and Bulma had disappeared to who knows where, sticking Vegeta with the afternoon errands. How his mother was able to get his father to do something so trite was beyond him, but she'd persuaded him to do many things in his lifetime and Trunks doubted that it began and ended with chores.  
  
"So," began Videl, fingering a microphone the size of a snow pea, "you're into computers."  
  
Trunks nodded. "Fitting for the heir of a technology empire, don't you think?"  
  
Videl laughed, setting the microphone down. She picked up a small cellular phone and flipped it over. She examined is closely, and then set it back down on the table. "You know, it's weird. Your parents own this huge conglomerate corporation and make a gazillion dollars a year. Why are they holding down a nine to five?"  
  
Trunks shrugged, sliding a laptop into a leather briefcase. "Your dad's pretty well off, and so are you. Why are you risking your neck when you don't have to?"  
  
"Because innocent people need to be protected," she replied, sitting down in a chair. She smiled. "Oh."  
  
Trunks smiled back. "Yeah. Oh."  
  
Videl leaned back against the desk. "You're pretty sharp, kid."  
  
"Maybe," said Trunks. "Not as sharp as you, though. What I'm wondering is, where've you been for the past couple of years? You graduated from Orange Star High and zipped through University and the Academy, so why the disappearing act? They worship you and your father in this town."  
  
Videl scrunched her face in annoyance. "That's just it. How could I be taken seriously as a police officer here when my father and all of his mindless minions practically ran the city? And that was before he got into politics."  
  
"Ah. But you've returned. Why the sudden change of heart?" Trunks asked, flipping through a bunch of minidisks.   
  
"They presented me with an offer I couldn't refuse. Besides," she added, tapping her nails against the arms of the chair, "I'd already proven myself as an officer in East Capital."  
  
Trunks' eyes lit. "You know, you and Gohan are a lot alike."  
  
"How's that?"  
  
"He graduated from high school and practically flew to the farthest place from here in order to escape his father's shadow. Come to think of it, you and Gohan probably passed each other in the halls in high school; he's a year younger than you, but you were in school at around the same time." Videl filed the information away for future use, but listened intently. "His father had already made a name for himself here and in the West Capital for nabbing the entire Red Ribbon Army and for a couple of other high profile arrests. He was appointed Captain practically the day that Gohan graduated, and that's when Gohan decided that if he wanted to be taken seriously, it couldn't be in this part of the country."  
  
Videl reached into her pocket for a cigarette. "Come walk outside with me. I need a smoke."  
  
Trunks frowned, but followed her as she left the small computer lab and climbed up the stairs. They pushed open the metal door and found themselves in the middle of the Capsule Corp. backyard. "You have a death wish."  
  
"What can I say?" she mumbled, cigarette hanging halfway out of her mouth. She lit it deftly, and the lighter disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. She took a drag and sighed. "I have a love affair with death."  
  
"Apparently."  
  
Videl walked slowly towards a small pagoda and sat down on one of the benches. "Comes with the job. So you've done your research, Trunks Briefs. You know where I graduated from and where I've been and where I am. But I know nothing about you or your family. Tell me something juicy."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Videl tapped ashes from her cigarette. "Like how your dad became a lawyer. I've heard more rumors about Vegeta than my father, including some really outrageous ones."  
  
Trunks laughed. "Oh yeah? Like what?"  
  
"Like he's really a prince from a long lost kingdom. Like he was an FBI agent. Like he killed a man with his bare hands and then gutted him whole. Bits and pieces of shit, all with the same message. 'Stay the fuck away, or else,'" Videl took a drag. "He's not so scary in real life."  
  
"You haven't seen him really angry," revealed Trunks, but he was smiling. "I'll tell you one thing, though. There's a bit of truth in every untruth."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
Trunks sat down next to Videl, propping his feet up on the bench. "My dad really is a prince, technically. The place where he grew up was governed by a monarchy. It was basically made up of figureheads, but my grandfather was really the King."  
  
"Holy shit. Where is this place, the fucking moon?"  
  
Trunks looked away. "Something like that. Anyway, my dad was first in line to inherit the throne, but what he really wanted to do was fight. So when he was about nine, he was enrolled in the army. The general of the army was a real bastard, and my dad knew it. Dad was determined to rise up in the ranks and challenge his leadership, but by the time my dad was fifteen, the general had almost complete control over the kingdom. In a cunning move, the general sent my father away on a diplomatic mission and while he was away, the general orchestrated an assassination of the king. By the time my father returned to his homeland, the general was completely in control and his father was dead."   
  
"Damn," Videl muttered. "No wonder he's a bastard."  
  
"You haven't heard the half of it," Trunks replied. "Dad was exiled. From his own home. Man, have I heard stories. But those are only rumors, so I'll tell you what I know is true. He vowed revenge against the general and was determined to train until his was strong enough to defeat him. But first he had to find a place to go. He wandered around for a while and ended up here. By complete chance, he met my grandfather, who was teaching at the local college in addition to doing his research here at CC. Gramps agreed to employ dad at the corporation as a guard and provide him with training materials as long as he attended school and turn all his anger and resentment into something productive."  
  
"Heh," said Videl, "No wonder he majored in law."  
  
"Philosophy, politics and law, to be exact. The very same major as my mother. And because he was employed at CC and they had almost every class together, their paths crossed often. More often than my mother liked, I'd imagine; they didn't get along very well when they first met."  
  
"I can feel Bulma's pain."  
  
"Gohan's a nice guy," Trunks defended, "Whereas my dad is very much an asshole. You should give Gohan a chance."  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Are you going to finish this story, or not?"  
  
"Well, anyway. Mom graduated and left for law school. Dad graduated and left for the FBI training academy. I assume they parted on fair terms, but there was nothing romantic between them. Mom was too absorbed in being a lawyer and Dad was still obsessed with his little revenge plot. Mom eventually passed the bar exam and became a lawyer, and Dad graduated from the academy and joined the FBI. Eventually, he headed up an operation to overthrow the evil general and instate a democracy in his home country. He defeated the general, but only barely, and by the time he ended up back here in West Capital, he was battered, bruised and broken. A democracy was ruling the country now, and even though that was probably best for the people, there's no need for a prince in a republic."  
  
Videl threw her cigarette away and stopped herself from reaching for another one. She vowed for the millionth time that she would try to quit. "Why didn't he say with the FBI?"  
  
Trunks shrugged. "I never found out for sure. I've heard that he was one of their most promising agents. Maybe it was because he had nothing left to fight for. But in any case, he showed up here and my mother took him in. Two years later, I was born."  
  
"Vegeta, that dog."  
  
"It took him a year to win my mother over," Trunks pointed out.  
  
"It would take a century to win me over."  
  
"Touché."  
  
Videl smirked. "But that still doesn't explain how Vegeta is head DA and Bulma's only an ADA."  
  
"I'm getting there. When I was growing up, they both weren't working. Dad had a PPL degree, but he had nothing to do with it. Mom had a license, but she also had a baby now. Eventually Mom went back to work and Dad set about making Goku's life as miserable as possible."  
  
"Now that rivalry I never understood," admitted Videl. "One minute they're best friends, the next they're kicking the shit out of each other."  
  
"It's complicated, even for me. Goku is a formidable fighter and a very talented strategist. I don't think that my father was ever able to defeat him, even when they were only sparring, and that got on my dad's nerves. All his life he'd been the best, and then, all in the same year, he gets beaten up by a general, exiled from his home, conned into going to school and he can't even win a little match against a classmate? It was a blow to his pride. I think once Goku might have let him win, maybe to shut him up, but that only made Dad madder."  
  
"Rightly so."  
  
"They're best friends and worst enemies, if you can imagine that." Videl said nothing. "Like I said, it's complicated. Well, Dad got bored with torturing Goku fast, and it all came to a head one day in the middle of the winter. My mom had worked something like fifty hours on one case, and when she came home, she realized that no one had picked me up from school. She was extremely livid. She ran to the school to pick me up and then rushed home to verbally attack my dad about his lack of responsibilities. He was working out at the time and she stormed in on him, screaming and yelling, and she ended up saying something like, 'I'd like to see you do my job, Big Shot!'"  
  
Videl's mouth opened. "You don't mean to tell me that your father went to law school to spite your mother?"  
  
Trunks grinned. "Exactly. Competing with my mom was a lot more fun for my dad than competing against Goku. They struggled to outdo one another, but it became difficult when they started working on cases together. They became DAs at about the same time, and when the head DA retired six years ago, they were both up for the promotion."  
  
"Your dad got it, obviously," Videl stated. "How did that happen? Your mother had years of seniority on him."  
  
"She declined the position."  
  
Videl was dumbstruck. "Why?"  
  
Trunks was about to answer when a streak of blue flew by him. "Trunks! Daddy and me are playing hide-and-seek, and Daddy's hiding!" The streak of blue came to an abrupt stop in front of Videl and Trunks. Videl realized that the streak was a little girl about five, with bright blue eyes and long, turquoise hair. A mini-Bulma. Cute. "Ooooh, you're pretty. But you smell like smoke. Are you Trunk's new girlfriend?" the little girl ruffled her nose, and Videl snickered as Trunks blushed. "Do you want to play? Daddy says that if I find him, he'll take me to the amusement park! But I think he's hiding at Uncle Goku's and that's not fair, so if I go there and I find him I'm gonna make him take me TWICE!"  
  
Trunks struggled to keep a straight face. "I think he went that-a-way, Bra," Trunks pointed towards the main house.  
  
"Thanks! If I find him, I'll make him take you too, and the pretty lady! And maybe Goten too! I like Goten, he's nice!" Bra ran off. "Byeeeeee!"  
  
Trunks turned back to Videl, who had the strangest look on her face. "Mom declined the position because she had more important things to do."  
  
Videl looked in the direction where Bulma's mini me ran off to. "I can see that," she said with a smirk that made Trunks blush at obvious meaning of it. "So Trunks. The impression I got from your sister is you're quite the stud, aren't you?" Trunks blushed an even deeper red. "Could you imagine what your father would say if he thought I was corrupting his son who isn't even old enough to buy alcohol?"  
  
"He'd say, 'Way to go brat.'" Trunks growled, in such a likeness of Vegeta it made Videl choke on her water. "Or 'The sex must be fucking amazing if you can put up with her for more then an hour at a time,'" Trunks snickered at the look on Videl's face. "Oh don't feel bad Videl. He says the same thing about my mother."  
  
"Oh, that's a comfort," Videl rolled her eyes. "I'm going to head out to the gym. Want to come along?"   
  
"I'm supposed to meet Goten there anyway. Gohan'll probably be there too," Trunks gave Videl a pointed look.  
  
"Well good for him. He could use the wor out," Videl glared at the lavender haired boy. "Stop getting ideas Trunks. I already have a boyfriend. And who is Goten?" Videl pretended to look disappointed. "Sweetheart," she said as if talking to a child. "Didn't I tell you it's just not healthy for a boy your age to have invisible friends?"  
  
Trunks ignored that remark. "Goten is Gohan's younger brother. He's a year younger then me," Trunks rolled his eyes. "He's probably only going to the gym to see the girl's water aerobics class."  
  
Videl raised her eyebrows. "This is Gohan's brother we're talking about, aren't we?"  
  
Trunks shook his head. "I can't even begin to explain it. You'll have to see for yourself."   
  
"Too bad his social skills didn't rub off on his brother," Videl led Trunks to her car, pulling out her keys. She noticed him looking at a flier for the upcoming World Tournament. "You like martial arts?" Videl noted his excellent physique for a computer geek.  
  
Trunks suppressed a grin. "You could say that."  
  
Weird. Videl narrowed her eyes at the boy who smiled back innocently. Very weird.  
  
----  
  
Videl repeatadly punched the dummy, letting all her frustrations and agression out on it. There was something fishy going on... She just knew it. Goku, Gohan, Trunks, Vegeta... something was going on right under her nose. First off, Vegeta a PRINCE? The only way she could see him as anything close to royalty was if he went with Bra to Burger King and she made him put on one of those paper crowns! Goku and Vegeta never allowed her to spar with them. They rarely spoke about their pasts. And Gohan... something about him irked her. He was always sweet to her, helpful, curteous, funny, goofy... but whenever he got angry, holy SHIT. Videl shivered as she remembered the look in his eyes when he was questioning Nagami Yuu. Split personalities? Maybe a past girlfriend of his cheated on him_? I'll find out your secret, Son Gohan_, Videl promised giving him a small smile as he waved from across the gym. _You'll never know what hit you.  
_  
Gohan jogged up to her. He stuck his head out from behind her dummy. "I've been watching you. You wouldn't be nearly as tired as you are now if you stopped smoking," Videl high kicked the face of the dummy, narrowingly missing Gohan head as he jerked it back. Gohan paced back forth behind her "Any way I can convince you to stop?"  
  
Videl spun around and put him in a headlock much to Gohan's surprise and amusement. "I'm an obsessive person. If I stopped smoking I'd probably end up an alcoholic or better yet, gaining thirty pounds stuffing my face with Sara Lee cakes," Videl grunted as Gohan slid his hand under her right knee, lifted her up and slammed her into the mat.  
  
"What's going on here?" Goten sat on the wooden bleachers watching his older brother and a really hot girl fighting.   
  
"Well your brother is currently wrestling with his new partner," Goku explained to his youngest son. Goku winced as he saw Videl's knee come dangerously close to his son's groin. "Your mother will not be happy if Gohan can't reproduce."  
  
Goten positively sparkled. "Who is she? She's gorgeous. How old is she? Does she have a boyfriend? Do you think she'll like me?" Goten smiled. "Of course she'll like me! Who can resist someone so cute?"  
  
"She's OLD Goten," Trunks rolled his eyes. "She's your brother's age and YES she has a boyfriend and NO she probably won't like you and NO you're nowhere as cute as me." Vegeta flashed his son a smirk when Goten pouted. "Damn, she certainly has rage," Trunks grinned as he saw Videl roll on top of Gohan, sitting on his chest. Before Trunks had the chance to blink, Gohan was holding Videl's arms behind her back, still grinning. "I put twenty zeni on Gohan."  
  
Videl kicked her legs up, grabbing Gohan by the waist with them and did a complete 180 to resume her dominent position she had. "I'll take that bet," Goku nodded. "She gets an A for creativity that's for sure."  
  
"Here's the deal," Videl panted, squeezing his head with her knees. "I'll try and stop smoking, but you owe me something in return."  
  
"Fine," Gohan stood up, knocking Videl completely to the floor and brushed himself off as Videl stayed on the ground. Trunks smirked at Goku, holding his hand out for his money. "Anything you ask, I'll do it. Well, almost anything. We need to keep our relationship platonic of course," Videl scowled at him.  
  
"So, I have to go cold turkey?" Videl asked weakly, wiping her sweaty brow.  
  
"Yeah, you have to go cold turkey."  
  
Videl lifted her right leg and sweeped Gohan's legs right under him, making him fall to the ground next to her.  
  
"You go girl!" Goku called, slapping Trunks' outstretched hand. Goku looked back over to Gohan who was currently helping the grumbling Videl off the ground. He gave it... three weeks to get them together. Tops. As long as there were no distractions--  
  
"Good afternoon," A deep, smooth voice said behind the four men.   
  
--Speaking of distractions. "Well if it isn't Harry Potter," Vegeta muttered, eliciting a snicker from both Trunks and Goku, who both tried to pass it off as a cough.   
  
"Don't they expect you back at Hogwarts before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named finds out you're disguising yourself as a divorce lawyer?" Trunks asked innocently.  
  
"You're as pleasant as always," Asiwa Ken pushed his glasses up his nose. In all honesty, he did look eerily similar to the teenage wizard, with his messy ebony hair and bright green eyes. All he was missing was a lightening shaped scar caressing his forehead and a Firebolt to ride around on. He had just come from his office, as he was still wearing a white dress shirt and black slacks and was carrying his briefcase.  
  
Videl spotted Ken and brightened. "Ken!" Videl ran to him, hugging him. Goten and Trunks made gagging noises behind them. "What are you doing here? Well, anyway I want you to meet someone," Videl pulled Gohan's wrist. "This is my partner, Son Gohan. Gohan, meet Asiwa Ken, my boyfriend."  
  
"Nice to meet you," Gohan shook his hand, noting his weak grip. What could she possibly see in him? "Wow, so you're Ken."  
  
"Videl has told me a lot about you," Ken gave him a small smile. "I practically had to drag it out of her. You're her little secret."  
  
"I haven't heard very much about you," Gohan shrugged. "You must be her other little secret." Black eyes met violet in an almost challenging manner.  
  
Videl stepped between the two young men, putting her hands out. "Now, now children. Play nicely. Not that I mind, but why are you here?" Videl poked Ken in his midsection. "Don't tell me you're actually going to work out."  
  
Ken stopped glaring at Gohan to look down at his girlfriend. "I wanted to tell you that I can't make our date tonight."  
  
Vegeta and Goku exchanged a knowing look.  
  
Videl looked crestfallen. "Why?"   
  
"I have to go to central city for the weekend to settle a divorce case between a senator and his wife. Their pre-nup is the size of a phonebook," Ken put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I really am sorry."  
  
Videl frowned. "I'm supposed to put new furniture in my apartment this weekend and I was counting on you to help me."  
  
_Like he'd actually be of any real help?_ "I'll help you," Gohan offered. "I'm not doing anything this weekend." _Calm down, boy. She already has a boyfriend, no matter how utterly pathetic he is._  
  
"I'll help too," Goten piped up. "By the way, I'm Goten, I'm a Capricorn, I like long walks on the beach, kittens mmff--" Trunks put his hands over Goten's mouth, efficiently shutting him up.  
  
"We'll both help."  
  
Videl smiled weakly. "Thanks guys. How about dinner tonight? I can go back home, take a shower and be ready in an hour."  
  
Ken shook his head, silky, black hair falling over his eyes. "I have a lot of paper work. Sorry, baby."  
  
_Idiot. He doesn't know how lucky he is to be with a woman like that,_ Gohan thought with a scowl. Videl sighed. "Well it's alright. Work is important, I understand."  
  
Ken lifted her chin to kiss her on the lips. "I knew you would. I'll call you later," Ken nodded towards the five men.  
  
"Be careful, man. You never know when you could get killed; or worse, expelled," Goku shook his head sadly.  
  
Ken grunted in disgust and walked out before any other remarks could be made. Videl whipped Goku with her towel playfully. "I don't know why you don't like him. He can't help that he has work."   
  
"There's something I don't trust about him," Goku narrowed his eyes. "You should be careful around him, Videl."  
  
"You say that about all the men I date."  
  
"You don't exactly clean track record when it comes to good judgement about men."  
  
Videl smirked. "Oh? So then whom would you approve of for me?"  
  
Goku's smile widened. "Actually, now that you mention it--" He turned to his oldest son who was shaking his head slightly. "I hear Draco Malfoy's been looking for a partner to do his evil bidding."  
  
"Fuck you, Goku. Fuck. You." Videl cursed her superior. "Gohan, what are you doing tonight?"  
  
Gohan perked up noticeably. "Nothing. Why?"  
  
"Come out to dinner with me tonight. It'll be my treat," Videl gave her nicest smile. _That way I can find out exactly what I want and hey, maybe actually have fun._  
  
Gohan's heart jumped into his throat. "I'll have to check my agenda to see if I'm free."  
  
"Tell your girlfriends they have to take a rain check, I'm much more important. Come on, I'll make it worth your while," Videl said innocently. "Cake. And lots of it." She had seen Goku and Vegeta eating before, it wasn't a sight one could forget and if Gohan was anything like them... Videl figured he was one of those men who could be won over with food.  
  
... She didn't know how right she was. "Depends what kind of cake, you know. I'm not cheap." Gohan feigned indifference.   
  
"Cheesecake."  
  
"Hm... Tempting..."  
  
"Chocolate cheesecake?"  
  
Gohan shook her hand. "Pick me up at 7."  
  
---  
  
Gohan opened his water bottle, drinking deeply from it. Grabbing his towel and slinging it around his neck, he made his way down the gym hallway, ironically, in search of a candy machine. His eyes narrowed as he saw a certain teen-wizard look alike talking on his cell phone. _Didn't he say he was in a big rush?_  
  
"I'll meet you later tonight, alright?" Ken whispered, looking around suspiciously. "Don't worry, you know she doesn't suspect a thing. She's so preoccupied with work, she doesn't have time to notice I'm gone."  
  
_Oh this sounds soooo bad... this is bad... this is bad..._  
  
"Yeah, of course. Same place, same time." Ken quickly closed up his briefcase. "Until then, Heikichi."  
  
_... A... a... man..._ Gohan breathed heavily. _Don't jump to conclusions, Gohan. _How can I -not-?_ It could all be a BIG misunderstanding, just turn around and pretend that you never heard any of this... honestly. Spying on people. What would your mother think? _But this is... it's different!! Videl would be heart broken if she ever found out--_ How can Videl not KNOW?! _Well, she'll certainly find out sooner or later he's playing for a different Quidditch team won't she... Gohan smacked himself in the head. Talking to yourself was the first sign of insanity. Unfortunately, answering yourself was the second.  
  
Gohan nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He whipped around facing his father's smiling face. "Oh. You scared me for a second."  
  
Goku looked at him oddly. "That's weird Gohan, you're usually so on guard in ki read--" Goku's last few words were muffled through Gohan's hand. "Mmfm?" Translation: What?  
  
"Shh! Don't talk about that kind of stuff out in the open like that. People will get suspicious. Videl is already suspicious. She's a highly dangerous and intellegent person," Gohan took his hand off of his father's mouth. "She knows we're not exactly... normal."  
  
"We aren't?" Goku blinked.  
  
"Just, just... nevermind. NO! He got away," Gohan craned his neck, not seeing Ken anywhere in sight. "He's good. Very good. I'll find out what he's all about if it kills me. Thinks he could just come in, trying to be suave when really he's a sleazy, no good, two-timing..."  
  
Goku looked confused, but a look of triumph quickly replaced it. "Oh, I get it now! You're doing that jealousy thing, right?"  
  
"WHAT?!" Gohan glared at his father. "I am -not- jealous. I have no reason to be jealous."  
  
Goku slapped his oldest son on the back, making Gohan almost fall over. "Of course you do son! Why, if I were only ten years younger and not married to your mother of course because, wow, she would be SO mad, you know how she gets--"  
  
"OKAY OKAY I GET IT!" Gohan felt the urge to slap the grin off of Goku's face. "I'm still not jealous though. Videl's not really my type."   
  
"Are you kidding?!" Another voice made Gohan almost hit the ceiling in surprise. "She is every guy's dream." Goten swooned, nearly decking Trunks in the process. "Do you think, maybe, possibly, _dearest _brother of mine, you could put in a good word for me?  
  
"GIVE IT UP!" Trunks screamed, grabbing Goten by the collar and shaking him. "Stop trying to be a Don Juan you half-wit!"  
  
"Do you think Videl likes Spanish men? I do a really good Ricky impression, wanna see? I even bought the leather pants--"  
  
"TMI!!! TOO MUCH INFORMATION!!! ARGH!!! WHY DO I PUT UP WITH YOU!?"  
  
"Because I'm sooooo cute and I'm the only reason you get dates?" Goten smiled cutely, making Trunks' left eye twitch dangerously.  
  
"You guys look like you're having fun," Videl merely smiled as Trunks dropped Goten and Gohan stopped glaring at his father. "Sorry to interrupt. Trunks, do you need a ride home?"  
  
"Actually, Vegeta is taking Trunks home," Goku concluded. "But Gohan needs a ride. I'm taking Goten to the... the... doctor! Yes, the doctor."  
  
"He needs to be de-wormed," Vegeta added helpfully. "It's about time too. Make sure you get the extra-strength flea treatment this time Kakkarrot."  
  
"Hey!"   
  
Videl laughed as Goten pouted. "Well Gohan? Let's go," Videl slipped her sunglasses on.  
  
Goku pushed his son along, giving him the thumbs up as he jogged to catch up with Videl. "You're family is cute. Cute, but so weird," Videl commented throwing her cigerette case out in a final attempt to show Gohan she would stop for good.  
  
"You have no idea."  
  
_Well, I'm about to find out.  
  
_---  
  
Videl stopped at the red light, urging herself not to go to the Wall Mart and pick up a few cigarettes. She glanced back down at the passenger's seat to find a small black wallet. She opened it, snickering lightly as the terrible driver's license picture Gohan had. Videl quickly turned around and stopped in front of Gohan's mothers house once more. She knocked on the door.  
  
"Look Missy, whatever you're selling, I'm not buying," came the rude retort from the matriarch of the Son clan.  
  
"I'm not selling anything," Videl could hardly believe Goku had put up with this woman for more then 40 years years. She could barely stand her for forty seconds. "I came for your son actually."  
  
"Look you hussy, If you think you're going to seduce MY pure and innocent Gohan--  
"Chi-Chi's eyes widened as she saw Videl's badge hanging from her belt and her gun shining in the sunlight. "Oh my GOD! What did he do officer?"  
  
Videl opened her mouth, but then closed it again. Brillance struck her. "I'm here for the arrest of Son Gohan." This was mean. Really mean. She was going to hell. Oh well.  
  
Chi-Chi gasped. "On what charges?"  
  
_Better make it good._ "Prostitution, I'm afraid."  
  
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAT~!!??" Chi-Chi positively freaked out. "My... my baby picked up a... a..." she couldn't bring herself to say it.  
  
_Now to go in for the kill._ "I'm afraid you've misunderstood me, ma'am. I meant your son was convicted of BEING a prostitute. A street walker. A hooker, a call boy, a man of the night, a harlot."  
  
"..."  
  
"It's shock I know. I've dealt with this for a long time ma'am," Videl's eyes sparkled behind her sunglasses. "It's always the smart, somewhat shy, quiet ones. Didn't you notice any of the signs? Unclear responses to your questions? Staring off into space?"  
  
"Well, he doesn't live here anymore so--" Chi-Chi's lip twitched. "SON GOHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW!"  
  
Videl smirked as Gohan ran into the room. "Gohan, you left your wallet in my car. Well that's all I came for really. See you at seven, _lover_." Videl waved once back at Chi-Chi whose mouth was practically to the ground. "Oh and don't forget, it's your turn to buy the you-know-whats!"   
  
Videl happily went back to her car as she heard Chi-Chi screaming at the top of her lungs.  
  
Oh yes, she was going to hell.

---- 

Videl scrounged through her closet, trying to find something to wear that would get grab Gohan's attention. She knew it was wrong to play with his feelings and she did have a boyfriend, but a little innocently flirting never hurt anyone, did it? Hm. It was too casual for a dress, too formal for plain old jeans and a sweater. She finally decided on a black sleeveless shirt with a pair of tight black pants. As she slipped on her black boots and ran a brush through her long hair, she wondered at all if this plan had anything to with a possible attraction to her partner.

For his sake, she hoped not.

After all, she was happy with Ken wasn't she? Okay, he was barely ever around and when he was all they ever did was—well. It was perfectly normal for her to be attracted to other people, it wasn't like she was married or anything, but still, they were partners and it couldn't possibly go behind harmless flirting or else complications begin. And Gohan _was_ pretty cute. Sure, he was attractive on the outside and with his killer body and usual stupid grin, but there was another side of him she was attracted to. The side of him that was dark and mysterious. The side of him that rarely surfaced at all. The side she _would_ figure out if it killed her. 

In minutes, Videl had hopped into her car and sped to Gohan's apartment, excited to get the evening started. She nodded in obvious approval as Gohan walked down from his apartment wearing a pair of loose khaki pants, a navy blue button down shirt with a white undershirt and a pair of brown loafers. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble with your mom. I didn't know she was so—"

"Crazy? Yeah, she is," Gohan agreed. "After I told her that you were the mayor's daughter, she started picking out China patterns for our new house after we're married."

Videl snorted. "Before or after we build out white picket fence and buy a dog named Spot?"

"Before our 2.5 children are born I guess." Gohan peered down at her arm. "You have a tattoo! I never even noticed. You had it covered that time you wore that lacy thing," Gohan traced the ring of roses and thorns around her right forearm lightly.

"Hey, stop that. That tickles," Videl complained. "I got it when I was in college. A dare gone horribly, horribly wrong. Sharpner got one too, but it would be inappropriate for me to tell you exactly where he got it."

"You've dated him?" Gohan asked, hoping to sound casual.

"We dated for about two days in highschool. I then realized we weren't compatible at all," Videl shook her head, smiling slightly. "He was burned he didn't 'hit it' like he told all his friends he would." Videl sighed. "I just knew he wasn't the one."

"How do you know Ken is the one?" Gohan asked innocently.

"I always pictured the one being someone I could grow old with. Ken will make a very handsome older man," Videl pointed out.

"I'll probably look like the Skipper from Gilligan's Island," Gohan said dryly.

Videl raised her eyebrows, chuckling. "Somehow Gohan, I doubt it."

---- 

"I really enjoyed dinner," Videl and Gohan walked towards Videl's apartment from her car. "It was nice to be able to hang out outside of work. We should do this more often."

Videl nodded. "I agree. Hey, want to come up to my apartment to hang out for awhile?"

Bells and sirens went off in Gohan's heard warning him not to go. _You're going to go too far. _Shut up. _Be reasonable. _Screw reasonable. "Sure."

Videl put the keys in her door, trying not to look too pleased with herself and her progress. She thought she would have to beat Gohan over the head to get him to come over to her apartment. It was now time to put her plan into action: Videl Satan's Six Steps to Successful Seduction.

_Step one: The right setting can either make or break the mood_

__"Why don't you go sit in the living room while I get us something to drink?" Videl suggested pleasantly. 

Gohan looked around the spacious apartment, noting the awards and medals scattered around. A few pictures of her father and her highschool friends hung on the walls. A large television sat on a small wooden case with a DVD player underneath connected to a Nintendo 64. A large and expensive stereo system was set up on a shelf on the wall. Videl had a few paintings but mostly it was empty, because she was getting new furniture and most likely painting. He sat down on her leather couch, feeling relaxed at the dim lights and candles that lit up the room.

Videl smirked to herself as she saw Gohan's happy little half-lid expression. _It's only the beginning my dear._

_Step 2: Alcohol is your friend. Always._

__Videl poured a full glass of red wine for Gohan and half a glass for herself. Setting it down on the table in front of Gohan, she sat next to Gohan on the couch. "Sorry for taking long," Videl took a small sip of her wine.

"You didn't take long," Gohan smiled lazily, putting the wine glass to his lips. "I like your apartment. It's the epitome of the bachlorette pad. Not a lot of flowers, but artsy and spacious. I like it." Gohan quickly finished off his glass. Before he could blink, it was refilled.

Videl smiled innocently. "So Gohan. I really don't know all that much about you. Tell me more about your life. What's like to be Son Gohan?

Gohan licked his lips. "Well. I was born here. I went to Orange Star High school actually. I was a grade below you."

"Did you know me?" Videl asked.

"Everyone knew you," Gohan pointed out. "I have something to confess. I had a really big crush on you." Wow. Wine really _does_ do wonders! This was so easy. Just talking about anything that popped into his mind!

_Now we're getting somewhere, _Videl thought triumphantly.

_Step 3: Music and dancing can make even the shyest boys interested_

__Videl walked over the stereo, pressing the button to play her CD, turning the volume up. "Is music okay?"

"Sure," Gohan agreed. _You're tipsy. _I am not. Can't you leave me alone for one night? _Hey, remember that time when I left you alone when you were nineteen? _Are you going to hold that against me forever? 

_I know how to love you   
I know how to do it to you   
I know how to make you feel like you wanna feel   
But I can't lose what I used_

__The smooth voice of Barry White filled the room. Videl watched as a few emotions flickered across Gohan's face. "Gohan. Come dance with me."

_Damn. She's good. _I know. _Well idiot!? What are you waiting for a written invitation!? _Videl put her arms around his neck, pulling him close. She smirked when she felt his breathing speed up. "You know, I think I remember seeing you once or twice in high school. You were pretty cute."

_I'm qualified to satisfy you   
Anyway you want me to   
Qualified to satisfy you   
Anyway you want me to_

__"You were a goddess to us mere mortals," Gohan said in a husky voice. _Next time you drunken fool, try not to down half a bottle of wine before you try and sweet talk a woman. _Holy shit. What am I SAYING?! "Occasionally you came down from Mount Olympus to talk to us."

_Some times you need lovin'   
Morning, noon and night   
Makes no difference when it is   
My darling, it's alright_

_Step 4: Interesting conversation is key_

__Videl nodded. "Alright. I admit it. I was a brat." Videl moved even closer, her breath brushing his ear. "But you forgive me, right?"

A blush stained Gohan's cheeks as he tried to pull away. Platonic. Platonic. No sex. No sex. _How boring. _SHUT UP. "O-of course. It was so long ago. We're different people now."

Videl's eyes burned into his as she caressed the back on his neck. "Are we?"

Gohan quickly let go of her, plopping back down on the couch. Videl stretched like a cat purposely making her movements more dramatic. Gohan's sharp eyes watched her every move. _Maybe he really isn't interested. Nah. _ "You still haven't answered my question," Videl moved closer to him on the couch. Gohan scooted away. Videl moved even closer. Gohan moved even farther away until he reached the end of the couch. "I still don't know anything about you."

Gohan started to sweat under her scrutinized gaze. "My life has been pretty boring really. Just the usual sex, violence and other er… stuff." He tried to joke.

_Step 5: Visual effects are a must have_

_He's tough. Tougher then I thought. Time to pull out the big guns. _"It's a bit hot in here." 

"So I've noticed," Gohan replied in a voice in an octave above his usual voice. He loosened his collar. "N-now that you mention it…"

Videl pulled her hair away from her face, sighing softly. Knowing she had his undivided attention, she slowly zipped down her sweater. His dark eyes were the size of dinner plates. _He'd probably go into cardiac arrest if I actually showed him some skin. _"Maybe I should open a window."

"Maybe," Gohan squeaked. _Smooth. _SHUT UP. _She's practically begging you here—_I thought you're supposed to be the side of me that is reasonable. _No, I'm the side of you that knows what's best for you. THIS is what's best for you. _She has a boyfriend. _THEN WHY IS SHE STRIPPING? _…It's hot in here. _Man, who ARE you? Where do you COME FROM?!_

__Videl quickly glanced at a tissue box on a table next to Gohan. Hm.

_Step 6: And finally, the moves that have never failed: The "accidental" touches_

__Videl leaned over Gohan, reaching her arms for the tissue box, "accidentally" brushing his right thigh on the way over … _For the love of all the is good and holy. _Ditto. _Stop blushing! You're embarrassing yourself. _Can't think… loss… of… blood… to brain… _Yeah, it's going ELSEWHERE… You know from this angle you can see right down her shirt. You know, I don't think she's wearing a bra—_ARGHH!! "I really enjoyed dinner. Thank you. See you tomorrow!!" Gohan stumbled to get his jacket and before Videl could blink, he was out the door.

"This… was a really bad time to quit smoking."

----- 

Author Notes: Barry White is the MAN! Oh shut up, you know you like him. 

Most of the jokes about Ken are all Harry Potter related. The title, The-Boy-Who-Fibbed is supposed to be a spoof of The-Boy-Who-Lived, since Harry Potter is called The-Boy-Who-Lived. All the others you have to figure out for yourself. Extra Credit for those who can name what books they came from! Be on the lookout for more in the future.

Special thanks goes to Eve (Silverlight) for her funny HP lines and super special thanks goes to Ilana (Absolut Angel) for all her help with this chapter and always editing my work. Thanks guys!

__


	3. Case 2: Gohan Get Your Gun!

-About Law and Disorder-: I'll tell you how it all started. Ilana came home from college during the summer and made me sit in our room and watch old reruns of Law and Order. I ADORE that show now. The witty humor, the funny bad guys, the handcuffs, what's not to love? People have set the standard for these cop/detective fics and I've decided to break 'em all =D Videl is a homicide detective for the SCPD, working under Captain Son Goku. Everything is going fine and dandy, until Goku breaks the news to her: She's getting partner, which happens to be his son. Special appearances will be made by Vegeta (as the District Attorney) his Prosecutor wife, Bulma and their son, Trunks who gets them all the fun gadgets. Krillin is Bulma's partner in prosecuting and Yamcha and Yajirobie are smart-ass cops who love to bother Videl and try to get laid.

  


Sounds like a fun place to work right?

  


-Notes-: The song our Gohan look-alike singer wrote was actually written by Eve and myself. To tell you who wrote which parts would probably make you lose all respect. Forever.

  


Kappei Yamaguchi is not mine. Gravitation is not mine. _Predilection_ is not mine. Dammit.

  
  


-Disclaimer hoedown- 

I don't own Vegeta and that makes me sad

But I do own Leather!Gohan and that makes me glad

So if you want to sue me, just go ahead and try

Because I'll just make you feel guilty when you make me cry!

  
  


Law and Disorder

By: CCS Angel00

Brought to you by: Waves and Rocks, baby!

  


--------------------

  


Case # 2: Gohan Get Your Gun!

  


--------------------

  


Videl sighed deeply as she sat on a desk at the office of Son Goku. In the last half hour, she had gotten six cups of water, rearranged Goku's pictures on his desk four times, opened and closed the window twice, and paced endlessly around the room. If it hadn't been for gravity, she would undoubtedly be pacing on the ceiling as well.

  


"So. Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Goku asked as he took the paper cup out of the young woman's hand. "I think you've had enough," Goku did a fairly decent impression of a bar tender. 

  


"I think this job has finally gotten to you, sir," Videl crossed her legs, adjusting her skirt. "Perhaps a nice, long vacation is in order. I know this really nice place. Retro decor, you know, bars on the window, padded walls and such. You even get complementary white jackets and a valium or two." Videl crossed her arms. "Maybe you and Vegeta could get a two-for-one kind of deal."

  


Goku wisely ignored her as he shuffled through his newly organized file cabinet. "Something really must be bothering you."

  


"Why do you say that?"

  


"When your dog died you re-painted the elevator walls. When your father forgot your birthday you rearranged all the furniture on the third floor," Goku raised his eyebrows. "Did you put every folder in alphabetical and size order?"

  


"And color. Don't forget color order. Gohan insisted that red-orange second degrees come before orange-red first degrees, but I tend to disagree," Videl casually looked at her nails.

  


"Alright. Spill. What happened?" Goku wheeled his chair in front of her, trapping her in.

  


"Well it's been over a week since I stopped smoking," Videl cracked her knuckles nervously. "And... Certain circumstances and situations could be better analyzed and figured out when I'm filled with nicotine."

  


"Such as?"

  


Videl pushed Goku's chair away from her as she hopped to the ground. "Don't worry about it. Now tell me about this new case. You said something about there not being a murder 'per se'."

  


Goku resumed his serious expression. "A famous performer has been getting frequent death threats--"

  


Videl scowled. "I'm not a bodyguard and I'm certainly not going to go play babysitter for a bratty performer."

  


"You and Gohan are the only ones I trust for this case. It's," Goku coughed, "a special situation."

  


"How special?" a voice deadpanned from the door. Gohan entered his father's office, a similar expression on his face as his partner. He gave Videl a two-fingered mock salute before leaning against the wall.

  


Goku pulled out a large colored photo from his desk. A tall and broad man, who had spiky black hair with red highlights and large dark eyes, looked up at the officers. Earrings trailed down his ears and a smug smile painted his lips. "You know, if I hadn't known better, I'd say the guy in the picture was Gohan." As Videl stared at the Gohan-look-alike, the pieces of the puzzle began coming together. "Oh man, Goku. Don't tell me..."

  


"His name is Pirvertt," Goku said with a perfectly straight face.

  


"His name is pervert?!" Gohan's mouth dropped open. "You're kidding. Who were his parents? Molester and Letch?"

  


Videl smirked. "Get with the times Rookie. Obviously, it's very different because this genius spells it with an 'i' and two 't's," sarcasm dripped with every word.

  


"How could I have missed that?" Gohan rolled his eyes. "So, what? We have to go make sure this winner doesn't get killed? Figure out who's sending him the death threats?"

  


"That's half of it, son," Goku said delicately. "If you hadn't noticed, there's more then a little resemblance between you two. Do I really have to spell it out for you?"

  


"No way," Gohan shook his head. "I refuse to have anything to do with this Letch guy or whatever."

  


"Pirvertt, Gohan. Pirvertt," Videl added helpfully. "It's not a big deal Gohan. Get on stage, sing, dance around in tight clothes while we catch the bad guys, live happily ever after, the end!"

  


Gohan glared at her. "Easy for you to say! I will not degrade myself anymore. Nope, sorry, get someone else."

  


Goku seemed ready to snap at his son when Videl put her hand up. "You have no choice but to do this Gohan."

  


"What do you mean?"

  


"I mean you owe me. I stopped smoking, you dress like Ricky Martin, got it?" Videl stood up. "I have just the person in mind that can help you, too."

  


"But-- but-- but--"

  


Goku raised an eyebrow. "You're talking about Kobylitsa, right?"

  


"Is there more leather involved? I can't take any more leather."

  


Videl tactfully ignored Gohan's whimpering. "Kobylitsa will try to help you choreograph some decent dance moves in a short time; he's the best in the business. He can even help _you_, Gohan."

  


"And it took forever to get all that gel out of my hair last time…"

  


"You're meeting Pirvertt at his dressing room tomorrow night," Goku too ignored his son. "Meanwhile Yaj is hanging around him to offer some protection. Videl, I know Kobylitsa is good, but is he good enough to transform Gohan into a pop idol in seven days?"

  


Gohan stomped his foot like a child. "I know I owe you but you don't understand! I terrified of singing! I'm petrified of dancing! I am scared out of mind having to do both in front a million PEOPLE!"

  


"Believe me. Kobylitsa is the closest thing you're going to get to a miracle worker," Videl laced her arm through Gohan's and pulled him out of the office. "Oh, and don't worry about performing in front of people. You'll be fine. Just picture them all in their underwear, and you should be just peachy."

  


"VIDEL! This is so unfair!"

  


"Blame your good looks. If it wasn't for that, you wouldn't be in this situation," a little flattery couldn't hurt.

  


"You really think I'm good look-- HEY! Stop that! Are you listening to me? Videl. VIDEL!"

  


Goku chuckled softly as he continued to search through his newly organized cabinet. "Good luck with her, Gohan. That's one battle you'll _never_ win." 

  


---

  


Kobylitsa Alexandr was once one of the most promising and successful Russian male dancers of his time. He had starred in over twenty-four productions, most of which he had the landed himself the lead. Retiring from the theatre after the ripe age of almost forty, he had become a well-known dance instructor for the rich and privileged. Standing at 5'9" which was rather tall for a dancer, Gohan couldn't help but feel a little intimidated even though he was still a good five inches taller then the sixty year old. Alex had silver hair and piercing green eyes, which clearly showed his displeasure or happiness at a dancer's performance. At this moment, Gohan couldn't help but notice as he tripped over his feet, it was definitely displeasure. 

  


"Step, sashay, step, step, turn. No no no! I said SASHAY! Not drag your feet around like you're dead!" Alex commanded, slamming his wooden cane on the floor. "You must dance like you are the graceful swan! Not some... elephant!" He sighed. "It was my fault to think I could turn a sow's ear into a silk purse. Take five." _Amateur._

  


Gohan collapsed into a chair, sweating profusely. He had been sashaying for the last three hours and was completely exhausted. _Man, this makes training on an icy mountain look like a walk in the park. Dammit! I don't want to be the swan! And I don't want to be a silk purse either!_

  


Videl tossed him a water bottle. "You've gotten a lot better," she offered. "If it's any consolation, I thought your sashaying was great." 

  


Gohan perked up. "But now it's time to practice your singing." Gohan's mood dampened considerable. "You won't actually have to sing, because I'm sure this Pirvertt guy lip syncs anyway. But you do have to know the words. And, since this is still part of the favor you owe me, I would love to hear you sing this," she thrust a paper at him. "It's called 'Upside Down and Roundabout.'"

  


Gohan groaned as he tried to remember the tune that Alex had played before on the piano. He raised his eyebrows as he sang the lyrics.

  


_We can do it anywhere_

_In a car, in a plane_

_We could go bowling_

_And do it on the lane._

  


"I CAN'T SING THIS!" Gohan gasped. "My mother would go into cardiac arrest if she even thought I knew what this meant!!!"

  


"I guess his name is Pirvertt for a good rea--" Videl was laughing uncontrollably, unable to finish her sentence.

  


Against his better judgment and curiosity, he continued.

  


_In the mall, in the mud_

_I'll show you how dirty I can be_

_I got so much lovin' to give_

_I got more moves then even Jet Li_

  


_On the airport runway_

_With the lights on high,_

_In the telephone booth_

_Or diving through the sky _

  


_On the roof, by the chimney_

_Way up top, in a tree_

_Getting splinters everywhere_

_In places you can't see_

  


_The bench in the church_

_Was oh so hard and tough_

_It was better than the tree_

_Whose limb was so thin and rough _

  


_You know you want me,_

_Oh baby oh baby,_

_Come on let's add one more_

_And make it come up to three _

  


_So be bold and strong_

_But be silent when we're at the museum_

_We can even do a full body wave_

_When we're at the coliseum!_

  


Videl was fairly rolling on the ground with laughter as Gohan tried to not be too embarrassed. "I can't," Videl wheeze. "My stomach. Oh my God, Gohan. In a... museum? In a church?" Videl continued to laugh until tears rolled down her cheeks. Gohan glared at Alex who chuckled to himself in the corner.

  


"I can't do this," Gohan threw the papers on the ground as he stomped away to pout in the corner.

  


Videl rolled her eyes. She waved to Yajirobie as he approached with a tall blond woman with silver eyes in a very expensive looking navy business suit and the infamous Pirvertt, who looked just as smug as he did in the picture. Wearing a black, high color, sleeveless Chinese style shirt with a silver dragon on the back and a pair of skintight black pants and boots, Videl begrudgingly admitted he was _somewhat_ handsome looking, considering he could be Gohan's double. "So you're Satan Videl, eh? You're even prettier in person," Pirvertt kissed her hand. Videl quickly snatched it away.

  


"Now, uh... Mr. Pirvertt," Videl tried not to look at Gohan who was snickering. "Do you have any idea of who would want to hurt you?"

  


The blond haired woman glared at Videl as she pulled on a beautiful blue beaded necklace that adorned her slim throat. "If we knew, we wouldn't need your help now would we?"

  


"Hey," Gohan approached, a scowl on his face. He put his hand on Videl's shoulder, signaling he would take over.

  


Videl glared right back at the rude woman after she shook her head slightly at Gohan. "If you think you could do a better job, lady, then go right ahead. Who _are_ you by the way?"

  


The woman flipped her shining gold locks out of her face. "I am Yoshihiro Eriko, Pirvertt's manager. And you're the hired help. Remember that." Eriko gazed appreciatively at Gohan. "My. You certainly do resemble Pirvertt. Except, I'd say you were a lot more muscular."

  


_Bitch._ Videl took a deep breath to calm herself. "Detective Son here is going to take your place at the concert next week, just in case there is an attack," Videl crossed her arms. "Officer Yajirobie will be accompanying you EVERYWHERE until then, got it?"

  


Pirvertt gave her a lecherous smile true to his name. "Why can't you accompany me sweet thing?" He asked, trying to shake off the eerie feeling as he gazed at Gohan, who looked like he long lost twin brother. He then looked at Yajirobie disdainfully. "Man, I can't have this donut packer with me when I'm tryin' to get my swerve on!"

  


Videl winced as Gohan's grip on her shoulder tightened painfully. "Sorry. I have a lot of work to do here but Yajirobie is a great cop and he won't... interrupt your swerve, I assure you."

  


Pirvertt sized Gohan up, his dark eyes shining with glee "Yo man. You really could be my double. You must get all the honeys," Pirvertt walked around Gohan in a small circle. "Of course, that hair and those clothes, have gots 'ta go! Who dressed you this morning? Your mama?"

  


"Don't you dare talk about my mother!" Gohan snapped. "I'll have you know I've picked out my own clothes since I was eighteen years old!"

  


_He doesn't even realize how stupid he sounded... does he?_ Videl shook her head as Pirvertt continued to laugh. "How can this guy be me if he ain't slick and sexy with just a pinch of innocent cuteness? No girl will believe it, that's for sure!" Pirvertt slid his sunglasses onto his eyes. "Yo man, what's your name?"

  


"It's Son Gohan," Gohan replied indignantly. "And I can SO be slick and sexy if I so desired!"

  


"Aight man. Let's see your sexy grin then."

  


_This should be good,_ Yajirobie thought with a grin of his own.

  


Gohan gave Pirvertt a full-fledged, toothy clueless Son Grin®. "What in the _hell_ was that? You ain't taking a graduation picture man! Less tooth, more mysterious smirk," Pirvertt demonstrated. "It works like a charm. Yo girl, whassup?" He nodded at Videl who blanched once more.

  


Gohan pulled out a notebook and starting writing. "Less teeth... more smirk... 'Yo girl, whassup...'"

  


Eriko eyed Videl carefully. "So, Miss Satan. It must be really hard to work with such an attractive partner such as Gohan, isn't it?" Videl carefully noted the usage of names. _Subtle one, isn't she? She's known me for all of five seconds, and throughout the four of those five, she was insulting me and now she's hitting on Gohan. Gotta love the people in the music industry._

  


"Oh yeah. You know how it is, I always have to stun gun myself so I don't do anything indecent," Videl's voice dripped with sarcasm.

  


"Me too," Yajirobie agreed taking a sip of his coffee. "That Gohan, what a hunk." Videl threw the cop an amused look.

  


"So then he's free? Unless there really is something going on," Eriko flipped her immaculate hair behind her shoulder. "Is there?"

  


Gohan's ears perked up as he and Pirvertt pretended not to watch. "What my partner and I do in private," Videl replied nonchalantly. "Is really none of your concern." 

  


Eriko narrowed her silver eyes at the detective. "I see," she said in an icy tone.

  


Gohan tried to stutter out a response to her statement. "Yo man," Privertt high-fived the embarrassed detective. "Props for nailin' the ice queen over there. You learn good."

  


"I-- we-- oh man-- we never—Barry White! And then--"

  


Eriko slithered her way over to Gohan and put her hand on his arm. "Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow and talk about the case some more, Gohan," her saccharine sweet voice made Videl want to scream.

  


Gohan, oblivious as ever, nodded. "Great! We can go out for Italian."

  


_He has GOT to be kidding me! He can't DATE a possible suspect!!! I guess he could find out more but... I still don't have to like this._ "Is Italian okay with you Videl?" Gohan asked innocently.

  


Eriko sputtered. "I really would rather discuss the case with my partner there. We're a team," Gohan announced proudly.

  


"Ohhh, shot _DOWN_," Pirvertt high fived Yajirobie.

  


Eriko's heated response was interrupted when a small girl with dark brown hair and big brown eyes rushed in, with beautiful silk fabric in her hands, a tape measure in her mouth, along with pins stuck in her clothes. "Mr. Pirvertt," Videl had to admit her although she looked cute and sweet, her high voice was grating on her nerves. "I need to measure you for tonight," the young woman, Haruka, said to Gohan.

  


Pirvertt winked at Gohan. "Yeah, _Pervirtt_. Go get fitted for your costume."

  


Haruka's eyes widened more, if possible. "Oh my gosh, there's two of you." And with that, she crumpled to the floor.

  


---

  


"Augh…" Haruka moaned as Videl applied a damp cloth to her forehead. "I must have died and gone to hell," she glanced at the two men. "Say it isn't so."

  


"Ruka," Eriko snapped. "Stop playing around. Take his measurements and don't ask any questions. I swear, if Father hadn't begged me to give you this job…"

  


"Hey," Videl's blue eyes flashed with anger. "This woman just had a terrible shock. She'll take his measurements when she's feeling better and if you don't like it, you can go fu—"

  


"Videl!" Gohan hissed.

  


"Are you feeling better?" Pirvertt asked Ruka, helping her up, a rare moment of sincerity shining through his usual façade of confidence and perversion. "I can't have my costume designer feeling ill."

  


"Was she supposed to find out?" Gohan whispered to Videl.

  


"A minor set back. She was bound to find out sooner or later," Videl flashed her badge to Ruka. "This guy right here," she poked Gohan, "Is my partner. We're working on a case right now and he'll be stepping in for Pirvertt for a while. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. My name is Satan Videl," Videl reached to shake her hand. "And this is Son Gohan."

  


Ruka eyed the detectives nervously. "It's about those scary letters right?" She sighed. "I'm going to feel _so_ much better with officers around." She shuddered once more. "I can't believe how much you look like him. Freaky."

  


Videl pushed Gohan towards Ruka. "Go get fitted for your costume. If you're a good boy, I'll treat you to lunch later."

  


"Really?" Gohan lit up and dragged Ruka to the fitting room. "Well let's get a move on! We've got a lot of work to do!"

  


"Well guys, thanks a lot for your cooperation. Especially you, Kobylitsa. Same time tomorrow?" Videl asked.

  


"If it pleases you, Miss Satan," Alex kissed her hand, grabbed his cane and his bag. "Anything for my best student of all time. It's not too late you know, to become an instructor of the arts."

  


Videl rolled her eyes. "I was wondering when you would bring that up for the millionth time. You already _know_ my answer to that."

  


"But Miss Satan, people would kill to send their children to someone who was accepted to Julliard. At least think about it!"

  


Videl coughed, trying to cover up her blush as Gohan popped his head into the room, a confused look on his face. "Your best student? Julliard?" A wicked smile crossed Gohan's face. "You don't say."

  


"That's enough, Kobylitsa. That was a very long time ago," Videl shooed him out. "Remember, same time tomorrow. Goodbye!" Videl crossed her arms as Gohan gave her a look. "What?"

  


"You didn't tell me you used to be a _DANCER_!" Gohan winced as Ruka jabbed him with a pin. "What happened? Did you go to Julliard?" 

  


"Mr. Son! Please try and stay still!" Ruka pleaded.

  


"Of course not," Videl looked uncomfortable. "It was a pipe dream to want be a dancer. I did get accepted, but I declined the offer. I was happy to go to a regular high school and college and I'm even happier with what I do now. End of story." Videl picked up the mysterious letters from the table. "I'm going to take these home and study them. I'll see you tomorrow," Videl grabbed her keys.

  


"What about lunch?" Gohan whined, but Videl was already out the door.

  


___That can't be the whole story. I wonder what really happened to her…_

  


__---

  


The matriarch of the Son clan, Son Chi-Chi herself, finished putting the massive amounts of food on the table, happy to have her oldest son coming for a visit. She took a seat next to Goku and helped herself to some of the stew. "Dad? Can I ask you a question?" Gohan asked, not even touching his food.

  


"What is it, son?" Goku asked as he finished off his first bowl in record time.

  


"Today I found out that Videl used to be a dancer."

  


"A very good one too," Goku nodded. "One of the most promising dancers of the century, or something like that."

  


"What happened? Why did she stop? She didn't really give me a straight answer today," Gohan took a bite of the stew.

  


"From what I know, when she was about thirteen she was accepted to Julliard as one of the youngest students ever. Only a short time after that, her mother died. A few months after _that_, she won the junior competition at the World Tournament. She was and still is a pretty good martial artist. Probably one of the strongest humans on earth," Goku paused. "She told me that she studied martial arts from when she was just a little girl, because her father liked it and thought she would like it too. Her mom used to be a dancer and wanted Videl to become one too. So Videl ended up studying both dancing and martial arts."

  


"At the same time? Wow, that's a lot of pressure to put on a kid," Gohan commented. "Do you think she quit because her mother died?"

  


Goku shrugged. "Like I said, that's all I really know. I'd bet she still studies martial arts. She's in pretty good shape."

  


Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes at her husband, holding her fork in a threatening manner. "Why are you looking at another woman's shape, _dear_?"

  


Gohan shook his head at his father's attempts to calm Chi-Chi down. "I didn't mean it like that, I swear!" 

  


_Videl is dead set on finding about my past_, Gohan thought, _which is incredibly dangerous, considering how intelligent she is. Maybe I'll have to do a little sleuthing of my own, dig up some of her own little secrets._

  


"Well, Videl seems like a nice enough girl," Chi-Chi buttered her roll. "She has a rather… odd sense of humor." Gohan, Goten and Goku tried to hide their laughter. "Did you invite her to Bulma's Halloween party? It would be only right to have your girlfriend there."

  


Gohan groaned. "See Dad? I knew this would happen as soon as I had a female partner. She _has_ a boyfriend already. Plus, I'm not interested in her in that way. So just drop it, okay?" Gohan shrugged. "Besides, I'm sure Bulma already invited her."

  


"That's okay, big brother," Goten grinned as he smacked his brother on the back. "Less competition for me!"

  


Gohan was about to comment on the hopelessness of his younger brother's infatuation with Miss Satan, when his cell phone began to play Hedwig's theme (which he purposely set much to the annoyance of Videl.) Gohan picked up the phone after excusing himself and walking outside. He grinned when he saw the caller ID flash with a familiar number. "You have reached Son Gohan, but I'm currently out with the playmate of the month—"

  


"Right, and then you woke up, Rookie," a mocking voice replied. "Guess what we're going to be doing tonight? And no, it doesn't involve pleather, spikes, or any of that fun stuff." 

  


The sounds of static and cars zooming by in the background temporarily deafened Gohan. "Aww, you got my hopes up! Anyway, what will we be doing?"

  


"After seeing you dance, if you could even call it that, I decided that you are so far gone that even Kobylitsa couldn't help you. So, I've decided I'm going to help you," Videl paused. "I'm only doing this so you can be convincing as Pirvertt. But Gohan?"

  


"Yes, Videl?" Gohan couldn't help but feel touched at her offer. She had obviously been through something traumatic, having to do with dancing and she still wanted to help him. He made a mental promise to do something nice in return for this favor later.

  


"Tell anyone about this and I'm going to beat the shit out of you."

  


"Uh… so did you find anything in the letters?" Gohan quickly changed the subject.

  


Videl shrugged, forgetting Gohan couldn't see her. "They looked pretty normal actually. You know, the whole cut out letters from magazines and such. The person wasn't exactly creative about how they threatened him either. It was almost like they _wanted_ him to get away."

  


"But that would totally miss the point of trying to hurt Pirvertt," Gohan argued.

  


"I know, but they're all so straight forward. The first one specifically pointed out they would try to attack during rehearsal. The second one stated they would attack him at his house. Usually they don't want the victim to be aware of where they will strike. What do you think of it?"

  


"Hmm… Tomorrow we'll carefully go through the letters and come up with some possible leads if we can," Gohan took a bite out his roll. "By the way, are you going to Bulma's Halloween party?"

  


Videl grinned. "Yeah. Ken said he was going to drop everything he was doing and come. Isn't that great?"

  


"Just lovely. Anyway, when should I meet you for my lessons, Madame instructor?"

  


"I'll see you at Pirvertt's rehearsal hall in an hour. I suggest you get lots of rest before then, my dear partner."

  


"Is it too late to plead for mercy?" Gohan asked hopefully.

  


"Way too late. See you then." And with that, Videl hung up. "I must be crazy to be going through with this."

  


Alex raised his graying eyebrows. "You must really like this partner of yours. He is pretty cute—"

  


Videl glared at her mentor as she unlocked the door to the studio and walked in. "That's enough out of you. I don't want him to screw up and get himself blown up or something. Oh SHIT," Videl scrambled for her phone. "I forgot to call Ken and tell him I can't make it tonight. He's going to be beyond pissed." 

  


"Can I offer some advice?"

  


"No."

  


"Well I'm going to give some to you anyway. Dump the chump," Alex said with a perfectly straight face. "You deserve someone a lot better then him. How many times has he stood you up?"

  


"Thank you Dr. Lovejoy," Videl groaned when Ken's machine picked up. She shut her phone with a click after briefly explaining why she would not be able to see him tonight. "I really care about him so I would appreciate if you would just drop this. Oh, and don't let the door hit you on the way out."

  


"Miss Satan, you certainly have gotten sassy over the last fifteen years," Alex sniffed. "You should respect your elders. Especially one such as me, who is handsome, intelligent, well traveled--"

  


"Annoying, OTB, obnoxious… the list goes on and on doesn't it?" Videl commented dryly.

  


"I can see where I'm not wanted," Alex grabbed his cane and jacket. "Don't forget to lock up when you're finished. Of course, if you're planning to be here all night—"

  


"Goodbye!" Videl pushed his out the door, kissing his cheek briefly. "Don't call us, we'll call you."

  


"If you're not too tired from—" the door slamming in his face cut off Alex's taunting.

  


Videl rolled her eyes as she set her stereo on the wooden table. Flipping through some of her old practice CDs, she settled for a mix of a few J-Pop and J-Rock songs that would help Gohan. At least, she hoped so. _Does he even know how hard it is for me to even be helping him? Probably not. I don't even know why I'm doing this. I promised myself I would never even step foot in a studio after Mom died. This is kind of therapeutic, I guess. Why am I doing this? Right, because Gohan couldn't dance his way out of a paper bag. I swear, he was having trouble doing the hokey pokey. I would never do this for just anyone. Gohan is… well he's a special guy I guess. He pretty much spurned my "advances" and that's really respectable, if not insulting. I've never had many guy friends and I'm kind of… sort of… maybe… glad I got him as a partner, although I'd never let him know that. I know I'm too stubborn to give up trying to find out who he really is, but I guess I have to trust him enough to tell me. _

  


_Trust… it's a pretty foreign concept. I just hope I've put my trust in the right people. Goku, Vegeta, Krillin, Bulma, everyone… they're the closest friends I've ever had and I've only known them for a short time. I've known Gohan for an even shorter time, but I can't help but feel like I should put my trust in him. I hope I'm right because in this stage of my life, I can't take any more disappointment._

  


Videl pushed the play button, nodding along unconsciously to the sound of the electric guitar and Kappei Yamaguchi's deep voice.

_During the twenty eighth hour, the night will end _

_It begins when the window is closed _

_I don't want to undo the time I had here, _

_Yet there is no protection_

"Hey!" Gohan panted as he threw his jacket on the table. "I'm sorry if I'm a little late. So… can you turn me into a superstar or what?"

"Miracles happen every day," Videl pulled him to the middle of the floor. "Now, we must work quickly. First we work on your posture. It's very good; it's obvious your mother made sure of that. But for dance, you need to try and be loose. You know, not so stiff?"

Gohan shrugged and smiled weakly. He tried to relax his posture, but tensed up when he felt Videl's hand on his shoulders. "Come on, this won't work if you're not relaxed," she soothed. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily, putting himself into a slightly meditated state. "That's a good boy. Do you remember the dance moves from this morning?" Gohan nodded. "Let's start from the beginning and remember, relaxed." Videl watched as Gohan struggled to keep his balance when practicing the more difficult moves. "Okay, you study martial arts don't you?"

"Uh… yes."

"Okay then you know that you're never supposed to keep your feet so close together, because then your whole balance is thrown off," Videl nudged his feet apart. "It's the same thing in dance."

As the night went on, Gohan felt himself relaxing more and more with this whole dance thing. Videl was a lot more patient then he thought she would be. Whenever he made or a mistake or was flustered, she told him what he was doing wrong and how to improve it. She endured his excruciatingly bad sashays without laughing and helped him change those particular parts, considering she hated sashays herself. Gohan had disliked the dance at the beginning, but Videl's tiny changes made it seem almost bearable.

"You learn fast young grasshopper," Videl joked as she took a gulp of her water. "But now it's time to put it all to work."

"Bring it," Gohan grinned.

"You asked for it!" Videl turned the music back up and almost died right there, on the spot, when Gohan started dancing. The young man had gone from a blustering, bumbling, clod to a dancing God in a few hours. _Damn, I'm so good. _She raised her eyebrows when he starting singing with the lyrics and dancing provocatively around the small studio. "I've created a monster. I should be so ashamed of myself."

_I want a scar to remain on you _

_Shutting you in this diorama _

_Passing by, I shouted and tried to lash out _

_Yet nothing I heard exceeded my predilection_

Gohan took his towel and threw it around her neck, pulling her towards him, a goofy smile across his sweaty face.

  


_Even if you breathe, it isn't possible _

_Under these circumstances _

_The love that stays strong is superior_

  


Videl felt her breath get caught in her throat as Gohan pulled her closer. Feeling slightly dazed, she tilted her head towards him, not able to stop the warm feeling coming over her. The moment was short lived, because the lights flickered and the large crystal chandelier wobbled dangerously. "Watch out!" Gohan pulled Videl, and threw himself on top of her as the large ornament fell, the sound of crystal breaking almost deafening them. "Are you okay?"

  


"What the hell was that?" Videl moaned. Gohan quickly went to turn the stage lights on so they could study the possible crime scene. 

  


Gohan bent down by the glass, putting his sleeve over his hand as not to leave fingerprints. "What's this?" he picked up a small blue bead and carefully studied it. "Whoever cut the cables left this."

  


"The bitch! I mean Eriko! She was wearing a blue beaded necklace just like this," Videl dusted herself off and winced when she looked at her left hand. "Oh this is just great."

  


Gohan put the small bead in a plastic bag and rushed over to Videl. "I don't think there is any glass in there, but you might need stitches," Gohan gently probed the cut. 

  


_I was only born to betray _

_My lips, in the end, feel sharp _

_You're lost in a cloud of meaningless reason _

_In your foolish predilection_

"I think it's alright," Videl tried to plead. "Don't worry about it. I'll just wrap it when I get home."

"No need," Gohan pulled down the first aid box. "I'll do it for you. It's the least I can do for my teacher. So how did I do?" Gohan gently disinfected her cut and started wrapping it with a bandage.

"Amazing," Videl assured him. "You improved so much, I can't hardly believe it. You'll be ten times better then Pirvertt on his best day. I was thinking though… what if we told Eriko and the others that you weren't going in for Pirvertt? That way, we'll know for sure that they'll strike. If they know it was you, they won't try anything until the real Pirvertt shows up."

"So you're telling me I have to pretend to be me, pretending to be Pirvertt, pretending to be himself?"

"Uh… whatever! We'll just tell them you're NOT pretending to be him, even though you really are. Got it?"

"Got it. Can you bend your fingers?" Gohan asked. Videl bent her fingers for him. "Okay, nothing is broken. You're all fixed!"

"Gohan…"

"Yes?"

Videl looked at the wall behind Gohan, a slight flush tinting her cheeks. "You know… I'm sort of glad your dad stuck you with me. You make a pretty good partner. For a Rookie."

"Why Videl," Gohan batted his eyelashes. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you almost liked me!"

"Good thing you know better."

"Yeah, good thing," Gohan smiled cutely, making Videl's heart race.

_What's wrong with me? Why is my heart racing? And what happened before? I have no time to think about that right now. _"Here," Videl quickly shuffled through her bag. "Take these and see what you can make of them," Videl was surprised to find herself shaking. "Take the bead too. I'll see you tomorrow!" 

"Wait," Gohan put a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"What?" Videl couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"Uh… Do you want me to walk you to your car? There are a lot of weirdoes out there," Gohan offered.

"Yes I know, I'm standing right next to one," Videl said lightly, still look at a particularly interesting spot on the wall. She shook her head. Why was she being so silly? This was the same Gohan she had known for over three months now. "What do you think Eriko's motive is?" Videl picked up her stereo, pushed Gohan out the doors, and locked the studio shut, happy to change the subject.

"Maybe they were involved, and now that they're not, and she's bitter," Gohan suggested, taking the stereo from her.

"Dating a client? That's a bit risqué, don't you think? And I can carry that all by myself thank you very much," Videl made a grab for the stereo, but gave up as soon as Gohan put it over his head. "That's cheating. You're like, a foot taller then me!"

"Those are the breaks," Gohan shrugged. "Back to the more pressing issue. Is it even Eriko who is committing these crimes? Couldn't it be someone making it look like it was her?"

Videl chewed her bottom lip. "It could be. We'll just have to keep our eyes open. And remember, we're telling everyone that you won't be going in for Pirvertt."

"But I really will be!" Gohan place the expensive stereo into her trunk and slammed it shut. "I'll see you tomorrow, Evil. Bright and early."

"Count on it Wind," Videl got into her car and with a squeal of her tires she sped off into the dark night. Feeling exhausted, she walked slowly up to her apartment, waving to a few of her neighbors just coming in from work. She kicked off her shoes and went to her answering machine.

"You have three new messages. "First message, 5:37 pm, 'Hey Videl! It's Sharpner. I guess you're out. When did you get such an active social life? Anyway, call me if you feel like hanging out tomorrow after work. You could use a little relaxation. Ciao, sexy.'

"Idiot," Videl shook her head, but couldn't help but smile at her friend's message.

"Next message, 6:19 pm, 'Videl, sweat pea. Why haven't you called your old and lonely father in the past week? You better not be hanging around with street thugs or worse, men! Do you know how worried I've been? I _need_ you to… _help_ me write my speech for the next election. You know you're the best honey. I was thinking, this time we could go for a more "hip" Mr. Satan. Maybe I could wear, like—"

"Oh daddy," Videl whispered as she pressed the delete button. "You're hopeless."

"Next message, 8:37 pm, 'Hey babe, it's Ken. I'm sorry I missed you. I know we haven't been seeing a lot of each other recently because we've both been so busy. I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you. I love you, call me back when you get a chance.'

Videl felt her stomach drop. Here she was, dating a wonderful and successful man and tonight she almost kissed another. What kind of person was she? For the first time, those three little words, I love you, had never made her feel so sick. _I'm not even sure how I feel anymore. Was Kobylitsa right in saying this was just a comfort relationship? _Videl quickly changed into her pajamas and lay down in her queen size bed. Right before she was about to fall asleep, her phone rang again.

"Ugh… tired…" Videl trudged to the kitchen to get the phone. "This better be important or you're going to have a little meeting with my good friend Mr. .22 caliber and he doesn't take kindly to people waking me up at 3 in the morning!"

"I just wanted to see if you got home alright," a sweet voice replied. "No need to be hostile. Well, I know you're alive. Good night, dearest partner of mine."

"Good night Gohan," Videl rolled her eyes before slamming the phone down. Why wasn't she as annoyed as she would have been if it were someone else calling to check up on her? She constantly chastised Ken for overly worrying about her safety; after all, it came with the territory didn't it?

Videl sighed. "How _do_ I feel about Ken? I don't know," she moaned, stuffing a pillow over her face. "It's not right for me to be seeing Ken and thinking about someone else. Should I break up with him?"

As if someone were answering, a gust of wind knocked over an expensive glass picture frame with Ken's picture in it. It shattered instantly as it hit her hard wood floor. "Ha," Videl gazed up at the ceiling. "I didn't know God had a sense of humor." Videl snuggled underneath her covers and finally closed her eyes. "Maybe I'm lonely," she whispered. "Ken is never around and Gohan is… well we're always together. That must be it. I should try and see Ken more. I think Gohan and I have become good friends that makes me happy and I want to keep it that way…" With that final thought, she drifted off to a dreamless, well-deserved sleep.

_But is that what I really want?_

__

--- 

Videl felt like ripping her hair out. "We've been sitting here for nearly two hours and still, nothing! We have one suspect who has a freaken' alibi, and there are no motives, no nothing!" She pulled yet her seventh piece of gum in the last two hours. In the past few weeks, she had come up with a system. Whenever she felt like smoking, she would chew gum. Of course, she hadn't counted on spending over $200 on Winterfresh to help her cravings.

"Calm down," Gohan soothed. "Let's think about this reasonably. Eriko couldn't have pulled the chandelier stunt because she was with Pirvertt late last night, for… reasons unknown. But, we found a bead that _could_ be from her necklace. She could have gotten someone to help her while she was away, to make her look innocent."

"Or it could have been someone totally different," Videl unconsciously rubbed her injured hand. "From what Ruka told me, she and Pirvertt had an on-again, off-again relationship, even though she was his manager. I know he couldn't possibly be faithful to her. Maybe she's jealous?"

"I don't think she's exactly been faithful either. Did you see the way she flirted with just about every guy in the studio?" Gohan refilled Videl's empty coffee cup. "What about Ruka?"

"What about her?" Videl asked, spitting out her gum and taking a sip of her coffee. "I don't think she's exactly smart enough to pull something this big. She was pushing the door that said 'Pull' for about fifteen minutes before I had to open it for her!"

"True. But we've _still_ got nothing," Gohan sighed. "This is the hardest case yet."

"Don't worry," Videl patted his broad shoulder. "We'll figure it out. Don't we always?"

Gohan nodded, but look unconvinced. "Hey guys," Yajirobie strode in, looking rather proud of himself. "I just got in from a night out with Pirvertt."

"Tell us about it," Videl urged. "This could give us a possible lead. We're getting desperate!"

"2:30 pm, Pirvertt goes to get his back waxed, hair cut, nails done and gets a message from Olga the Swedish masseuse. 5:43 pm, he goes to meet a 'friend' named Michelle. 6:29 pm, he goes to meet yet another 'friend' named Electra. 7:08, he goes home to get ready to go out yet again. 9:34, he finally comes out from his house after over two hours of me crouching in a bush, got peed on by a local dog, and got smacked with a change purse by some old lady thought I was a voyeur, he comes out looking exactly the same as he did when he entered. And I quote, 'Why should I mess with perfection, eh Yousuke?'" 

"Who is _Yousuke_?" Gohan asked.

"That's only one of the names that idiot called me. Anyway, we arrive at the Satan Club at around 10:25, only to get trampled by a bunch of crazy fan girls outside of it. So Mr. Nice Guy trips me and I get used as a human shield. I got hit in the eye with a freaken RETAINER for God sakes! For the rest of the night, he drank and danced with every woman in the club."

"That's IT?!" Videl screeched, nearly spilling hot coffee on her lap. "No one tried to attack him or anything?"

"Well, does almost getting strangled by a training bra count?" Yajirobie asked.

"No."

"Well, no then," Yajirobie shrugged. "Maybe whoever made the threats knew about me hanging around him. I tried to blend in, but someone could have recognized me if they saw me before."

Videl sighed. "I was so sure it was Eriko. Not only is she a total cold bitch, she's mean to her sister, and—"

"Wait a second," Gohan interrupted. "Her sister?"

"Ruka," Videl said impatiently. "Remember? Eriko said something about her father asking to give Ruka a job. Their father is a big shot record executive for Pirvertt's label. Vegeta said something last week about there being a controversy surrounding the drawing of his will, remember? Or maybe you weren't there, I can't recall. Anyway, he heard from a couple of associates that Daddy was planning to leave a part of his estate to his wife and stepdaughter, who he'd lived with for the good part of a decade, but he most of it was going to Ruka and her mother, both of whom he'd barely seen over the past ten years. A guilt thing, I guess."

Gohan looked thoughtful. "Maybe Eriko wants ALL of the money, so she's trying to frame her sister for murder. If her hotshot daddy thinks that Ruka is a criminal, Eriko will get all of the inheritance."

"The thing is, they're both getting more than enough money to live comfortably. The amount of money Eriko is inheriting could buy and sell you _and_ me a hundred times over."

"And she's not catty enough to haggle over a couple of more million?"

"Maybe she is," Videl's eyes narrowed. "But maybe she isn't. I wouldn't rule out Ruka as a suspect quite yet, either. I looked at some of her old school files yesterday. They worry me."

Gohan raised a dark eyebrow. "How in the world did you get them?"

"I can't reveal my sources," Videl said smoothly. "But I found out she had a lot of problems in high school."

"Didn't we all?"

"She had a borderline bipolar disorder and tried to commit suicide three times. She always acted out in school because she wanted the attention. She was practically begging for help. One thing puzzles me though. The records don't ever say anything about her getting _any_ help for her problems," Videl twisted a lock of her hair. 

Gohan's expression darkened. "It's a classic case. Her father was probably embarrassed and wanted to keep it under wraps. I'm surprised you could even _get_ to those files. Get a little help from dear old daddy?"

Videl's mouth twisted into a smug smile. "Wouldn't you like to know." Videl sighed. "We're back at square one, aren't we?"

Gohan gave her a smirk of his own. "Elementary, my dear Videl. You might have just solved the case without even knowing it."

Videl blinked. "Damn, I _AM_ good."

--- 

Videl turned up the radio in her car as she turned her keys and pulled on her seatbelt. A few months ago, she rarely ever even put the thing on, but Gohan had always insisted she wear it. _Accidents happen at a time when you least expect it, _he preached. 

"Idiot. All he ever does is worry about me."

It was a nice day, so she kept the top down, loving the feeling of the wind in her long hair. As she pulled out of the parking lot, a feeling of dread filled her entire being as she stepped on the breaks. 

"Oh my FUCKING God," Videl whispered with horror. Though her foot was completely down on the break pedal, her car showed no interest in slowing down. "My breaks! Okay, don't panic," she told herself. "Just calm down." She laughed a little hysterically, but given the situation, she felt it was very appropriate. "Wow, is Gohan EVER wrong about anything?"

She tried to take a route with the least red lights and even less cars. Feeling as though she had no choice, she pulled off the road where she estimated she would do the least amount of damage. She veered off to the side, careened through a small, green field, and eventually came to a halt, crashing into a tall mailbox. She briefly heard the sound of screaming, but then only silence.

A few hours later, Videl awoke to the sound of a screaming, almost hysterical voice. _Vegeta?_

__"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN WE CAN'T SEE HER?"

_Yep, it IS Vegeta. Augh, I feel terrible. At least I'm not dead. _Videl tried to sit up, but found it incredibly painful. _Broken ribs. Possibly a fractured right arm. Just wonderful._

__"Vegeta, calm down. Please Miss, is there anyway we can see her? We're all very worried," Gohan's voice was frantic. 

"I don't think—"

"I'M THE MAYOR OF THIS GODDAMN TOWN! IF YOU DON'T LET ME SEE MY DAUGHTER YOU BETTER PRACTICE SAYING, 'Do you want fries with that?' AM I MAKING MYSELF CLEAR?!" Satan bellowed.

"Crystal," the nurse whimpered, not protesting anymore.

Videl successfully sat up, smiling slightly at her visitors who practically ripped the door off its hinges. "Yo," she said simply.

"Videl!" Everyone crammed into the room, Satan running to her side and taking her hand. "How do you feel? Are you in pain? CAN WE GET SOME PAINKILLERS IN HERE?! WHO DOES A GUY HAVE TO SLEEP WITH TO GET A CODEINE!?" 

Videl head was beginning to hurt as she was bombarded with questions. "What happened?" Vegeta demanded the loudest. "You ran into a MAILBOX!"

"My breaks," Videl said simply. "They were tampered with." Videl raised her eyebrows. "Was it a nice mailbox? I feel kind of bad about that."

"No," Goku sat in a plastic chair. "It was kind of ugly actually. You did the neighborhood a favor."

"Glad I could do my part as a Good Samaritan," Videl rolled her eyes. She closed them briefly, but popped them open again. "My car," she gasped. "WHERE'S MY CAR?!"

Ken cleared his throat, looking nervous. "Now, darling promise me you won't get upset. We should be concentrating on who might have--"

"I can't promise anything," Videl said in a threatening voice. "What. Happened. To. My. Car?"

Satan quickly hopped off the bed, pulling Gohan to stand next to his angry daughter. With her left arm, she pulled Gohan's collar, his nose almost touching hers. "Gohan. Tell me."

The nurse in the hallway was happy with the silence of the day, glad that the loud lawyers were happy. The last thing she needed to worry about was losing her job. Ah, the serenity of the beautiful day…

… Which was soon interrupted but a loud screech from her patient.

"I'LL FUCKING KILL THEM! WHOEVER KILLED MY CAR IS GOING TO DIE!"

"Videl!" Sharpner snapped. "YOU almost got killed!"

"What in the world is going on here?" The nurse asked, seeing her patient sobbing and clutching Gohan. "Are you pain? Should I get a doctor?"

"No, she's just in shock about her car," Bulma whispered and pushed the nurse out. "We'll handle this, don't worry." And with that, she shut the door.

"It's okay," Gohan soothed taking her left hand and putting it between his. "It could have been a lot worse."

"He's right," Goku agreed. "You could have been killed. Good thing you were wearing your seatbelt."

"My car," Videl whimpered, squeezing Gohan's hands. Ken narrowed his green eyes as he saw the show of affection from his girlfriend to her partner. He'd have to put a stop to THIS, before it got out of hand.

"Who could have tampered with your breaks?" Vegeta asked impatiently. "Isn't that what we should be worrying about, or have you forgotten someone tried to kill you?"

"Vegeta!" Krillin admonished. "She's obviously very upset. We'll talk about this later. Is there anything we can get you?" the lawyer asked kindly.

"No," Videl sighed. "Do you know when I can leave?"

"I'll come pick you up tomorrow," Gohan insisted. "Don't even think about arguing with me because you're not leaving yourself."

Ken gave Gohan a look. "Your concern is appreciated Gohan, but I can take my girlfriend home."

"Really?" Gohan asked coolly. "That's surprising considering the past few weeks you haven't been around at all, even when Videl really needed you."

"How dare you!" 

Videl slumped down into her bed. Would they ever get along? Probably not. "Please don't fight," she groaned. 

"You're jealousy is cute," Ken narrowed his emerald eyes at Gohan. "But I suggest you get over your school boy crush on Videl. It's obvious she wants a _real_ man."

Gohan gave a Ken a small smile before launching himself at the smaller man, tackling him to the ground. It took Goku, Vegeta, and Yamcha to pull Gohan off before he seriously hurt Ken. "That's it," Videl said in a tense voice. "Everyone OUT!"

"But—"

"OUT!"

Amidst all the chaos, Goten peeped his head outside the door, his Hot Chick Sensory® flashing dangerously. "Hellooooooo Nurse!" he called, skipping out of the room to follow a young, blonde nurse who strolled by. "Baby, let's play doctor!"

"Goten! No! Bad boy! STAY!" Trunks ran out after him, hoping to avoid any more of those nasty harassment lawsuits. 

Videl stuffed a pillow over her face in hopes of smothering herself to death. She briefly heard Yamcha carrying the half conscious Ken out of the room, quickly followed by Bulma, Krillin, Yajirobie, Vegeta, Satan and Goku, who all wished her well and promised to come see her soon. "I'm sorry," Gohan said finally after they all left.

"It's okay. Ken _did_ kind of have that coming—"

"I don't mean for that," Gohan's head was bowed, his hair covering his eyes. "I mean, about not being able to… protect you. It's my fault you got so hurt…"

Videl's eyes widened in shock. "Idiot," she said affectionately. His head bowed even further towards his chest. "Gohan," she said impatiently, beckoning him closer to her. When he sat on the chair next to her bed, she put her left hand on his head. "It's not your fault in any way. How could you have known? I'm actually glad you weren't there," she admitted. "You might have gotten hurt as well."

"I'd rather get hurt a million times over then have you hurt in the slightest," Gohan revealed, taking her hand off his head and holding it between his own hands. "You're very important to me."

Videl felt her heart speed up, the machine to her left beeping at an alarming rate. Thankfully, before she went into cardiac arrest, the doctor came in to take some more blood and take tests "just to be safe". 

"Besides a sprained right wrist and a couple of bruised ribs, she's perfectly fine," the doctor promised Gohan. "She'll need to get plenty of rest and try not to strain herself. Other then that, she can get on with her normal daily routines."

_Normal. Ha._ _If only you knew…_

__--- 

"Pirvertt" lay down on the bed and tried to pull up the zipper of his pants. "I knew I shouldn't have had let Videl talk me into that extra doughnut today," Gohan complained, finally pulling it up. Letting out the breath he was holding, he groaned as he tried to walk to the dresser. "How the hell does he do this EVERY night?"

There a soft knock at the door. "Are you decent?" Videl asked.

"Depends who you ask," Gohan commented as he gave up on trying to bend down and pick up a necklace that fell to the floor. "How are you feeling by the way?"

Videl opened the door and walked in, adjusting the ace bandage on her right wrist. She gestured for him to bend down as she clipped on a few silver earrings to his ears. "You look perfect. Don't be nervous. I'll be close by in case you screw up. And for the last time, I'm fine!"

"Thanks," he said dryly. "Are you _really_ okay?"

"Five minutes to show time, sir," the stage manager ran into the room, looking like he'd been going on an hour of sleep and loads of sugar to stay awake. "Good luck."

"Break a leg," Videl grinned. "I'm so looking forward to this."

"I'm glad you're enjoying this," Gohan grumbled as he ran on stage. Taking a deep breath as he look at the large crowd, he gave his most charming smile. "Are you ready to get 'Pirvertted?!'"

The young girls in the audience screamed at the top of their lungs. "WE LOVE YOU PIRVERTT!"

"I know, I know," Gohan winked, causing many of them to swoon and some to faint. _Show biz is a breeze. _"Let's GO!"

"I think he's enjoying this more he's letting on," Videl whispered as Gohan starting singing, getting more into it then he ever had. She felt herself twitch as a sea of glittery thongs and bras washed on to stage, nearly drowning Gohan.

The show went off without a hitch; Gohan shook his bon-bon like no tomorrow and the fangirls were screaming their pre-pubescent lungs out. Videl was almost asleep as she leaned against the velvet curtains, but soon awoke when she heard a loud creak above her. She narrowed her eyes as she saw a figure in black streak across the top of the stage. It looked like they were carrying a large bucket, presumably filled with water. _What are they going to do? Make Gohan's white shirt even more transparent in hopes of the fangirls attacking him? _Not wanting to take a chance, Videl quickly climbed up the shaky scenery and landed softly on an even shakier wooden beam. Carefully making her way across, not looking down or attracting any unwanted attention from the criminal, Videl finally made it to the end. "Stop," she whispered, pulling out her gun. "POLICE!"

The figure in black just grinned back at her and started shaking the wooden beam. Videl held on with tightly, not wanting to ruin Gohan's finale with her unfortunate death. "Why don't you be a man and face me?"

The mysterious figure just shrugged and turned towards the stage, where Gohan was being pulled up by electric support cables. _That crazy bitch is going to pour water on Gohan and electrocute him! That's her plan? Kind of stupid if you ask me—Oh well. Better get to the saving. _Videl launched herself at the figure, wondering why they weren't putting up more of a fight. She quickly unmasked the figure, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Who the HELL are you?" A young man, about the age of twenty with bright red hair and silver eyes, whom Videl had NEVER seen before stared back at her. "Anyway, you have the right—Ok fuck it. You're going to jail for a long time, you have no rights and if you open your mouth I'm going to tape it shut. Got it?" Videl's keen eyesight spotted another figure by the side of the stage. "Oh, you're a clever little bastard aren't you? You were the distraction, _weren't_ you? Oh well," Videl handcuffed the young man to the wooden beam. "If I'm in a good mood I'll come back for you." She jumped down from the beam, landing in a pile of old stage clothes and ran to find her real perpetrator. Videl's eyes widened in shock as the smaller figure carefully aim the rifle, but surprisingly, not at Gohan. "Eriko?" Still hating Eriko with a passion, Videl knew she had to protect the bitch. _Only because I want to be the one to kill her one of these days._

__

Without thinking, Videl swept the oblivious person's legs from under them and grabbed the gun just as it went off. The bullet missed its target completely and hit a light as they dimmed and Gohan received applause. "I'm so sick of this," Videl ripped the mask off. "Ruka?!"

Ruka glared at the detective, sputtering for a response. Gohan quickly ran over, not looking at all surprised to see the Videl pinning Ruka to the ground and handcuffing her. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do or say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney and if daddy can't afford one for you, he must really not love you," Videl muttered under her breath.

"Good job," Gohan wiped the sweat off his face as the police came to take Ruka to the station. 

"Someone get me down! I'm… I'm afraid of heights!" A voice sobbed. "PLEASE!"

"Oh SHIT!" Videl climbed back to the top of the stage. "I knew I forgot something!!!"

--- 

"It's kind of sad actually," Videl stated thoughtfully as she sat down at her usual table at Satan's Sanka. "All she wanted was attention from her father. Basically, even that huge inheritance didn't impress her. When her dad divorced her mom, he shut Ruka out, favoring Eriko. Eriko and her stepfather were a lot alike; both ambitious, cold, malicious, etcetera. The shy, troubled Ruka didn't stand a chance. Now at least she'll get the help she needs. Anyway, speaking of sad, " Videl turned to Krillin who was now sporting a very shiny black eye. "What the hell happened to you?"

"I came home last night at one in the morning and my wife was convinced that I had lipstick on my shirt. When I told her it was just ketchup from when Goku spilled his fries over me, she didn't believe me," Krillin groaned.

"We can see that," Gohan commented.

"Does it hurt a lot?" Bulma asked.

"It only hurts when I prosecute, so keep me out of the courtroom until the swelling goes down."

Gohan rubbed his eyes. "I was up until three, trying to find a good facility for Ruka. Eriko was raving and ranting because her 'darling sister' was trying to frame her for murder and kill her. Their father looked mortified beyond belief at all the attention this case received. The newspapers were eating this stuff up. On the bright side, I got over my fear of performing in front of people!"  


"Big deal," Videl muttered. "If you ask me, you were acting kind of 'Pirvertted'."

"Aww," Bulma squealed. "Videl is jealous! How cute!"

"I could care less if Gohan had all the thongs in Victoria's Secret thrown at him! It's just disgusting he would enjoy it so much!" Videl argued. "He can date any thirteen year old for all I care!"

"I was going to say you were jealous of all the attention he got, but that works too," Bulma winked at Krillin and Gohan, who grinned back.

"Videl doesn't want to share me with anyone!" Gohan patted her on the shoulder. 

"That's not what I meant!" Videl groaned, banging her head on the table. "You're taking this all wrong!"

"Videl likes Gohan, Videl likes Gohan!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Videl wants to kiss Gohan! Videl wants to marry him and have a million babies!"

"I HATE YOU! That's it, I'm LEAVING!"

"Aww come on, we were just jok—" Krillin was cut off when an umbrella was thrown, hitting him in his good eye. "DAMMIT! I'm BLIND!"

Videl stomped towards the door, stopping before she actually left. "Well?" she asked snapped at Gohan.

"Well?" he asked in confusion.

"Are you coming or not? Not that I care," she sniffed as she walked out.

"Wait for me!" He cried as he grabbed his coat and ran after her.

Bulma watched the two exit, her blue eyes shining in excitement. "Maybe she really DOES like him after all…"

"My eyes…" Krillin cried.

"This is going to be interesting…"

"I've fallen and I can't get up…"

"Operation 'Get Gohan and Videl together will now commence!' What do you think Krillin? Krillin? KRILLIN?!" Bulma screamed at her partner. Feeling rather agitated with him, she decided to try and kick him in the stomach to wake him up. She missed. "Oops."

"Mommy…"

--- 


	4. Interlude 2: Foolish Games

-**About Law and Disorder**-: I'll tell you how it all started. Ilana came home from college during the summer and made me sit in our room and watch old reruns of Law and Order. I ADORE that show now. The witty humor, the funny bad guys, the handcuffs, what's not to love? People have set the standard for these cop/detective fics and I've decided to break 'em all =D Videl is a homicide detective for the SCPD, working under Captain Son Goku. Everything is going fine and dandy, until Goku breaks the news to her: She's getting partner, which happens to be his son. Special appearances will be made by Vegeta (as the District Attorney) his Prosecutor wife, Bulma and their son, Trunks who gets them all the fun gadgets. Krillin is Bulma's partner in prosecuting and Yamcha and Yajirobie are smart-ass cops who love to bother Videl and try to get laid.  
  
Sounds like a fun place to work right?  
  
  
-**Disclaimer hoedown**-   
I don't own Vegeta and that makes me sad  
But I do own Leather!Gohan and that makes me glad  
So if you want to sue me, just go ahead and try  
Because I'll just make you feel guilty when you make me cry!  
  
Also, the songs used in this chapter don't belong to me, either.  
  


-------------------

**Law and Disorder**  
**By**: CCS Angel00   
**Interlude 2 co-written with**: Absolut Angel  
**Brought to you by**: Waves and Rocks, baby!

--------------------  
**Interlude # 2**:   Foolish Games  
--------------------  
  
  
_"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools." -Ernest Hemingway_   
_  
  
_Videl groaned as she walked through the streets of Satan City, struggling to carry the enormous amount of packages in each hand. The extra weight didn't bother her (she could bench press two-fifty on a bad day), but the late October weather, complete with blazing sun, dry heat and lack of precipitation, was getting to her.

She had spent a good portion of her morning at Satan City Mall trying to find the right items for her Halloween costume. Somehow, though she vowed not to make any unnecessary purchases, she had let the nice salesgirl in Saks talk her into buying almost a thousand dollars worth of the new winter line.  Winter.  Feh.   Videl reveled in the irony of carrying fifty pounds of sweaters when she was dying to peel off her three-quarter sleeved t-shirt and jump into a freezer. 

She cursed Ruka, the perpetrator that she and Gohan had apprehended the week before, for tampering with her breaks.  Videl said a prayer and asked God to forgive her for cursing the emotionally disturbed, but man, she missed her car.  Not predicting that she would suffer so, she figured she could trek the twelve blocks from the mall to her apartment building, no problem.  But combined with the stress of her job, her attempts at quitting smoking and the heat, she was about ready to collapse when she reached Satan's Sanka, her refuge.

"Thank GOD," she wheezed, pushing the door open.  She'd stop for a quick iced coffee and be on her merry way, and hopefully get home in time to get ready for the Brief's annual Halloween party.  She hadn't been around for last year's party, though her father had told her that Bulma's parties were always the place to be in this city, and if you weren't invited, half the city shunned you.

Videl tried not to let her lack of transportation depress her too much, considering that she had put on the performance of her life in front of Ruka's hot-shot executive father two days ago, trying to wheedle a new car out of the rich businessman. Her performance was Oscar worthy, if she did say so herself, complete with "tears of bravery" on the road to recovery of her "traumatic" experience right in front of his business partners and did she mention that her father was the mayor?  Not, she amended, that she couldn't buy her own car, but this way was just a lot more fun and she figured the cold-hearted bastard deserved whatever he got anyway.

She figured she would have a new car within the next week. 

"One please," Videl followed the waitress and unceremoniously dropped her packages on the booth. "That's the last time I ever go to that mall again. I'd rather live out of catalogs thank you very much," Videl ran her fingers through her long hair, in hopes of looking less disheveled. She opened her bag to look for a mirror, grunting in annoyance as wads of paper fell out. She opened one up. "_Jyou- 555-3418. I think we could be good together_," Videl snickered as she let the paper dissolve in a glass of water. "Yeah, maybe in a parallel universe Jyou. Sorry." Videl continued to shuffle through the papers she had accumulated through out her day, finding new and creative ways to destroy them. _I wonder what would happen if I stick this one in ketchup and sugar and THEN light it on fire... _Videl decided that she'd had enough with her day and reached into her bag with a defeated look on her face.  She pulled out a cigarette and lit it quickly, praying that no one she knew would see her and tell Gohan.   She really WAS trying, she justified, and why did Gohan care so much about it, anyway?  She was so consumed in her thoughts, she didn't notice a tall, broad, dark haired man who was wearing a South City Police uniform approach her. 

"Excuse me, Miss," Videl looked up and dropped her lighter in surprise.  She had briefly thought he was Gohan, and a million excuses for the cigarette in her mouth were running through her head, but as her brain caught up to her eyes, she realized although Gohan and this man looked somewhat alike, they would never be taken for twins.   She took a deep breath, and took the cigarette out of her mouth. 

"Is there a problem, Officer?" Videl asked calmly, tapping the Marlboro Light into an ashtray.  She was SO going to hell. 

The man gave her a milky smile, flicking a piece of his long spiky black hair behind him. "I'm afraid there is ma'am. You're walking around without a license." 

Videl narrowed her eyes. "That's absurd. I have my license right here. Besides, I don't know how it works in South City, but around here you don't need a license to walk around." 

The man slid into the seat across from her. "I'm afraid you've misunderstood. I meant, do you have a license to drive me _this _crazy baby?" He winked at her, giving her a lecherous smile. 

Videl's mouth dropped open in surprise. Why hadn't she seen this idiot coming a mile away? Videl rolled her eyes at him. "If I had a nickel for every time I heard that pathetic line, I would put them all in a bag and knock you unconscious with it," Videl motioned for the waitress. "Check please." 

"You're a firecracker. I think I like that," He put his hand over hers, only to get it smacked away. 

"I think I would LIKE for you to get out of my face. You're lucky I'm tired or I would kick your ass into the stratosphere. Just crawl back under the rock from where you came from," Videl frowned his annoyance as this police officer persisted in annoying her. 

The dark haired man gave her a significant look. "Of course you're tired. You've been running through my mind all day." 

"The only thing that's tired is that line," Videl put out the cigarette and began gathering her bags, hoping to avoid anymore corny pick up lines. 

"I'm only talking to you for medical reasons," the man leaned back and rudely took a sip of her unfinished coffee. 

Videl raised a dark eyebrow. "Oh? I didn't think stupidity counted as a sickness. Silly me." 

Undaunted by her obvious rejection to his advances he smirked and replied, "I'm trying to determine after years of therapy and lots of testing, whether or not I'm allergic to sex." 

"Moron," Videl took her bags, left a few dollars on the table and walked to the door. 

"Your beautiful blue eyes are like the ocean and I'm lost at sea!" A pause, and then as a last resort, "Come on sweetie! One night with you and I'd die a happy man!" 

"Promise?" 

"Your words wound me, Angel!" The officer put his hand over his heart, in mock pain. His fellow officers snickered in response. 

"I WISH!" Videl slammed the diner door closed, almost breaking the glass in the process. People have no shame, she grumbled to herself, sighing as she realized she would have to continue her trek home.  Maybe she could call a cab, or Ken, or her father, though she really didn't want to deal with his insanity right now… or, she could call Gohan… damn Ruka.  Damn breaks.  Damn stupid men and stupid pick-up lines.  DAMN. Damn breaks.  Damn stupid men and stupid pick-up lines.  DAMN.

The sound of a car horn honking broke her out of her thoughts of homicide and crazed sales girls.  She had to blink twice as a dark blue Toyota pulled up to her.   "Hey! Need a ride?" a familiar voice asked as the window rolled down.  Gohan poked his dark head out, smiling at her innocently.  "Well?". 

Videl threw her packages in the back seat and hopped in the front. When he had his back turned, she popped a mint in her mouth, hoping to drown out the smell of nicotine on her breath. _How the hell does he always know where I am? Is he like, spying on me? Should I be freaked out about this?  _"Gohan, how did you…?"

Gohan shrugged, cutting her off. "I make it my business to know." 

Accepting that answer for what it was worth, Videl closed her eyes until they arrived at her apartment, hoping to forget her shopping horrors and that stupid good for nothing cop.  She opened her eyes only to see a very perturbed Ken waiting at the entrance. "I'll see you soon," Videl opened the door and stepped out. "Thanks again." 

"Anytime," Gohan stepped out to help her get her packages out of the back. "By the way, I would recommend gum the next time you want to want to get the smell of cigarettes off your breath. Until then." And with that, he drove off. 

_Damn you Son Gohan. I'll get you if it's the last thing I do!_

"Videl!" Ken stomped over to her, his emerald eyes blazing. His tie was loosened around his neck and his jacket was unbuttoned, making him looking sloppier then usual. "I've been trying to get in touch with you all morning. Where have you been? And if you needed to be picked up from somewhere why didn't you call me?" He sounded eerily like her father. 

Videl rolled her eyes and walked up the stairs to her apartment, not saying a word. "I don't like you hanging around with that asshole. He's dangerous," Ken warned as Videl dropped her things on her couch, pulling two bags into her room. "That violent fuck almost broke my nose!" 

"Well you _did _insult him first," Videl called helpfully. "There was no reason to be jealous then and there's no reason to be jealous now. I really want you to get along with Gohan, because he's a good friend and my partner. Please, tonight just try and behave. And please start getting ready. We have to be at Bulma's in an hour. Are you taking a shower?" 

"I already took one," Ken half growled, pulling off his tie and jacket, and pulled on a large black robe over his clothes. "There. That took a whole four and a half seconds. Hun, throw me your lip liner to draw on my forehead." His prayers were soon answered as Videl opened the door and chucked a lip pencil, hitting the divorce lawyer smack in the face. He glared at the closed door and drew a thunderbolt on his forehead, completing his outfit. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this." 

The sound of the shower running was his only response. 

Ken laughed softly to himself as he continued to stare at the closed door, an unreadable expression across his handsome face._ Oh what a tangled web we weave..._

---

"Hey, nice costume!" a tall woman dressed as Miss Universe called to Videl. "It looks so realistic!" 

Thank you!" Videl called back happily. She tried not to be too prideful about how she looked, but for this one night, she decided to just sit back and relax as the compliments came pouring in. She was dressed as Sango, the demon huntress from the anime Inuyasha. She was wearing a skin tight, black, mandarin collar body suit with pink armor over her shoulder, stomach and knees. The armor was tied on by small red ribbons. On her left shoulder was an intricate gold pattern. The sleeves of the body suit wrapped around her middle fingers and were held by two small gold rings. She had a beautiful red silk sash tied around her slim waist. Videl's long hair was tied back in a high ponytail and two small pieces hung by her ears. The only makeup she applied was heavy coats of red eye shadow on her top lids. To complete her outfit, she had an almost exact replica of _hiraikotsu, _Sango's trusty boomerang, tied to her back. 

"Videl!" Bulma waved to her, motioning for her to join the rest of their friends on the beautiful black leather couches. Videl stared at the older woman, trying to keep her envy in check as she gazed upon the woman's still youthful and attractive body. Bulma had dressed like Yuri, half of the disastrous duo known as the Dirty Pair. She was wearing a blue and white dress with a red collar. The material cut out by the hips and fell just above a pair of white thigh high boots. A red glove adorned her right hand to complete the look. "Honey, you look AMAZING! I have a very special treat for everyone! I brought my famous turkey!"

Eighteen winced. "And I brought my famous stomach pump," she whispered to Videl. She was dressed as Kei, also from the Dirty Pair. She doned on a low-cut, pink body suit that clung to her curves. She wore a pair of almost indecently short red shorts and a matching red vest. She had a blue glove on her right hand and had on a pair of ankle length red boots. 

"You're shagadelic baby, you're switched on, you're smashing!" Krillin complemented in a horrible English accent. Videl's jaw dropped as she gazed upon his... colorful outfit. She guessed he was going as international sexy spy, Austin Powers. He had on an orange, green and gold silk shirt that was unbuttoned to show his muscled chest. He knotted a hot pink scarf around his neck and had a silver necklace with the symbol for "man" hanging from it. Videl nearly shielded her eyes when she looked at his striped lime green pants. He also wore a pair of lens less black plastic glasses. 

"Thanks, I think..." 

Their daughter Marron, sat next to Eighteen, and looked very cute in her fairy costume. Her dress was a glittery green with a short chiffon skirt, a pair of glittery wings with her long blond hair down with glitter painted on. "Marron, I think I inhaled all those sparkles you have on," Trunks wheezed. Marron bashed him in the head with her green magic wand. 

Videl stared at Trunks, her jaw dropping to the floor even more before bursting out into peals of uncontrollable laughter. He dressed up to look exactly like his grandfather Dr. Briefs, with a lavender mustache, a white lab coat, glasses, and even the Briefs' cat hanging out in his shoulder. "That's great Trunks," Videl said between giggles. "It's scary how much you look like him." 

"What about me Videl?" Goten popped up behind his best friend, ignoring the fangirls squealing at him. "I'm Ricky Martin!"  Goten donned an brown button down shirt (with the first three buttons open, of course), black leather pants and a pair of black leather boots.  He looked like he had been shaking his bon-bon for a good while already, if it could be measured by the amount of teenaged (and, Videl noted wryly, some older) women following the youngest Son around.  

"You look very cute Goten," Videl assured the teen. Goten beamed and let himself be pulled away once again by the rabid fangirls. 

"I'm going to talk to my coworker over there, okay?" Ken spoke up for the first time, poking Videl with his wooden wand to get her attention. 

"Wait!" Sharpner cried, running over to Ken, trying not to trip over his own black robes. His blond hair was slicked back and he had a magic wand of his own. "Potter, today is the day you DIE!"  
  
Ken raised his dark eyebrows at the young man. "Don't tell me. Draco Malfoy?" 

"That's right! _Explodius PHLEGHMIUS_" Sharpner smacked Ken on the head with his magic wand. "_Phallicium  Impotencium!_" 

"OUCH! You moron, that HURT!" Ken rubbed his forehead and glared at the blond. "I'll be back soon," Ken mumbled and half galloped over to a man dressed like a vampire. 

Yamcha was laughing hysterically. "I think Malfoy over here finally beat Potter." Yamcha was dressed like a fireman, with a tight white tee-shirt, suspenders, yellow rubber pants, rubber boots and a red fireman's hat. 

"I like a man who knows how to use a hose," Videl winked. 

"Hey baby, anytime you're ready. I'm protected; these babies are pure latex," Yamcha pointed to his pants and the group cracked up. Videl looked around the room, briefly wondering where her partner was. "If you're looking for Gohan, he's at the refreshment table." 

Videl snorted. "Where else would he be?" She spotted him next to her father, which was strange, because she could have sworn he said he wouldn't be there until much later. She shrugged and walked over to him. "Hey Gohan, hey daddy-- GOKU?!" Videl dropped the cup she was holding. "Goku? Why are you dressed like MY FATHER?" Goku grinned in response, unsuccessfully trying to run a hand through his afro. 

"I tried to talk him out of it," Gohan rolled his eyes. "But once his mind is set on something..." Videl looked over Gohan, noting how handsome he looked. He was dressed as Miroku, the corrupt holy man from Inu Yasha, who, incidentally, was also Sango's love interest  Gohan wore black and purple ceremonial robes tied at the shoulder. His ceremonial staff was leaned against the wall next to _hiraikotsu_. He had two earring in his left and one in his right (which, Videl, notes, didn't looked clipped on, but she would inquire about that later) and his right hand was covered with a black cloth and a white rosary. "You look really nice," he said shyly. 

"Yeah! You do," Goku flexed his muscles in quite a good imitation of Mayor Satan. "You didn't say how I looked Videl!" 

"Um. I'm going to the bar to get a drink," Videl backed away slowly. "Does anyone want anything?" 

The two Sons shook their heads and Videl walked off in search of the bar, in hopes of forgetting the site of Goku dressed as her father. She spotted Vegeta and his daughter Bra on the way. She complimented him on his Hiei outfit, complete with a long sleeved black cape and black pants. A sword hung from his waist and a white bandana adorned his forehead. Bra was dressed in a frilly blue dress with a tiara on her forehead, fitting the role of princess well.  The trio had also seen Yajirobie, who was dressed as Vegeta himself, complete with pointy wig (where he found that, God only knows) and before a fight broke out between Yajirobie and Vegeta, Videl excused herself and again went on her journey to find liquor. 

"Excuse me," Videl said to the pretty female bartender. "Can I have a red devil on the rocks please?" 

"I'd like a martini. Shaken, not stirred," a voice said from behind her. A man wearing a tuxedo with a black bowtie winked at her. "Bond. James Bond." His English accent was almost as bad as Krillin's. 

"Lost," Videl informed him. "Get lost." _Where the hell have I seen this loser before? _"It's YOU!" she gazed at his long spiky hair. "The pathetic police officer from before! What are YOU doing here?" 

"Uncle Radditz!" Gohan slapped his uncle on the back. "How have you been? Oh, I see you've already met Videl. She's my partner." 

Videl's mouth dropped open. "YOUR UNCLE?! This-- this-- PERVERT?! This sex fiend?! He fucking hit on me ALL DAY! I can't believe he's YOUR UNCLE!"  
  
Gohan's eyes popped open. "Uncle Radditz! I told you to control yourself," Gohan berated him. "Shame on you for being vain enough to think you could get a girl this young, you molester. Apologize to Videl for your inappropriate behavior."

"Men are pigs and we should all rot in hell. Unfortunately, that's not my jurisdiction." 

"What's going on here?" A tall man dressed like Fred Flintstone approached.  His bright dark eyes and spiky hair reminded her instantly of Goku, but that couldn't be Goku, because he was dressed as her father!  What was going on here? 

Videl narrowed her eyes.  "Okay, joke's on me.  Are you Goku's twin brother or something?." 

The Goku look-alike laughed.  "Not exactly." 

Radditz looked smug. "Actually, Goku is _my_ little brother. _This_," he said, pointing to the other man, "is our father." 

"NO WAY!" Videl gasped, almost spilling her drink. "He's too young looking to be your father! Gohan, is he really your grandfather?" 

Gohan nodded. "What a hunk," Videl whispered.  A little louder, she asked, "Do you work out? Because, wow, you look amazing! I hope I look that good when I'm older." 

Gohan glared at his grandfather, who was obviously enjoying the attention. "This is Bardock, my grandfather. Grandfather, this is my partner Satan Videl." 

"Nice to meet you Videl," Bardock shook the young woman's hand. "I've heard a lot about you. Gohan, Goku and Goten talk about you all the time.  Goten mostly rambles, though, that's to be expected of him."  His eyes twinkled.  "You're the daughter of the mayor, are you not?" 

"Yes, but please don't hold that against me," Videl admitted. 

"Hey guys," The Ox King waved to the group, looking adorable in his white bunny costume. "How are you all doing?" 

"We're fine sir," Videl took a sip of her drink. "Where's Chi-Chi?" A large part of Videl was relieved to see that particular member of the Son family absent. 

The Ox King sighed. "She has the flu, but she should be fine." 

"Poor Chi-Chi. Maybe tomorrow I'll go over and see how she's doing," Videl looked thoughtful.  "Do you think she would mind?" 

Gohan snorted. "Are you kidding? I think she expects it." 

"Uh oh. Poor Videl over here is getting prepped to be inaugurated into the house of Son," Radditz sympathized. "When Chi-Chi's through with you, you'll end up being married to one of her sons." 

Before Videl could respond, the lights dimmed and a spot light was placed on a small stage in front of the humungous room. Goten stepped up to the microphone and the fangirls rushed up to the front of the stage, squealing with glee. 

"Here it comes," Trunks mumbled, feeling embarrassed before his best friend even sang a note. 

Bardock and the Ox King looked at each other in a silent prayer, hoping in vain that their youngest grandchild wouldn't do anything more humiliating than last year's performance, though it would be hard to top singing "Whip It" dressed like one of the guys from Devo . Videl sipped her drink and got comfortable as the karaoke machine started and Goten opened his mouth to sing. 

_I'm a desperado  
Underneath your window  
I see your silhouette  
Are you my Juliet  
I feel a mad connection  
With your body  
  
_Videl spat her drink out, luckily missing anyone. She stared at Gohan who was trying to control his laughter, holding his hand over his mouth. Radditz was howling at his nephew's provocative dancing and the fangirls that were practically throwing themselves at the youngest Son. Trunks, Bardock, and the Ox King looked like they all wanted to die of embarrassment. 

_Shake your bon-bon  
Shake your bon-bon  
Shake your bon-bon  
  
_Videl watched in interest as Goten continued to wow his audience with his confidence and style, albeit if his mother knew about this "style" she'd probably go into cardiac arrest. _Well, I guess all the coordination in that family went to him. He's not bad at all. _"Your brother is so cute," Videl whispered into Gohan's ear. "He's going to have to beat all those girls off with a stick." 

"It looks like he's the one whose going to be beaten," Gohan noted the looks on his grandfather's faces as well as Trunks.  "And I thought it couldn't get any worse than last year?" 

Videl raised an eyebrow.  "Last year?"

Meanwhile, the rest of the Z-fighters were cheering Goten on, screaming encouragements. "Yeah baby! Take it off!" Yamcha hollered and Videl automatically knew he was drunk off his ass. 

"You put the grrrr in swinger BABY!" Krillin cheered drunkenly. Make that _two _people drunk off their asses. 

_I wanna be your lover  
Your only latin lover  
We'll go around the world in a day  
Don't say no, no  
Shake it my way, oh  
  
Shake your bon-bon  
Shake your bon-bon  
Shake your bon-bon   
  
_Goten pointed to Videl, motioning for her to "shake it his way". Radditz was on the floor by now, rolling and holding his stomach. Gohan was wheezing uncontrollably, trying to catch his breath. Videl's mouth dropped open as Goten pulled Trunks on stage, dancing around the lavender haired boy, who looked absolutely mortified. 

"Yeah Trunks!" Videl called helpfully. "Show them how it's done!" 

"Shake your bon-bon Trunksie!" Radditz catcalled. 

"I hope someone is getting this on camera," Gohan commented as he ordered a Bloody Mary. He stirred the drink with the celery and took a long sip. He was pleased to find Bulma had set up a camera man in the corner of the room. This would make excellent blackmail material. 

"Figures you'd pick the drink with the most nutritional value," Videl commented as she stirred her drink with a straw. "Except you didn't eat the celery. I'm going to tell your mother," she mock warned. 

"You can have it," he said casually and before she could protest, he stuck it in her mouth. 

_Hola Amiga, Hola Amiga  
You're my temple of desire  
We'll go around the world in a day  
Don't say no, no  
Shake it my way, oh  
  
Shake your bon-bon  
Shake your bon-bon  
Shake your bon-bon   
  
_In a dark corner, two young men stood next to each other, the taller of the two was scowling. "Hey man. Isn't that Videl flirting with Son Gohan over there by the bar? Why are you getting so jealous? You act like you actually _care _about her." 

"Hmph. It's the principal," the tall, dark haired one polished off screwdriver. "I was never one for sharing. She's mine. Only mine." 

"I've never seen you get this worked up over your job like this. But, I guess I can see why. She's fucking hot. She looks a little violent," the man watched Videl smack Radditz over the head. "Is she that violent in the sack?" The blond shook his head, his glossy hair falling behind him in waves. 

The dark haired man gave him a look. "What do you think?" 

The other man chuckled, his gray eyes sparkling. "Lucky bastard. Why do you get all the fun jobs?" The man snickered as Videl and Gohan continued to fight playfully. "Although, she looks like she's having fun over there without you, man. She might dump your ass before you're through with her." 

"Son Gohan was a... glitch in the Boss' plan that we hadn't counted. He never posed much of a threat before. Videl's taste in men has seriously declined. After me of course," the tall man's glass shook slightly. 

"Son Gohan doesn't look like someone who will just go away very easily. That's a serious complication." 

"Complications will be dealt with accordingly. And don't worry, my dear friend, I'll deal with Son Gohan.  Someday. Someday soon." 

_Up in the Himalayas  
C'mon I wanna lay ya  
We'll go around the world in a day  
Don't say no, no  
Shake it my way, oh  
  
Shake your bon-bon  
Shake your bon-bon  
Shake your bon-bon _  
  
Goten grinned at his audience, waving to his friends and family. He hopped, skipped and jumped off stage after pulling the petrified Trunks off with him. Radditz nodded to Yamcha and Krillin, the three of them heading up to the stage. "I wonder what they're going to sing." 

"I bet it's something perverted," Videl nodded gravely. "I'm surprised the old freak isn't up there with them." 

Roshi, dressed up as Michelangelo, the pizza and party loving ninja turtle, then rushed past them, running after a group of girls dressed like the spice girls. "Spice up my life BABY!" 

"EEEEEEEK!" 

"This song is dedicated to a young girl I met just a few hours ago. You know who you are, baby," Radditz grinned. 

"Yeah! You know who you are SATAN VIDELLLL!" Yamcha screamed, trying to regain balance. "Hehe, I tripped over myself. AHAHAHA!" 

"Asshole," Krillin laughed as he tripped over Yamcha. "Hehehe..." 

"You don't think..." 

"They wouldn't..." 

"Would they?" The two asked in unison. 

_Ooh dat dress so scandalous  
And ya know another couldn't handle it  
See ya shakin that thang like who's da ish  
With a look in ya eye so devilish_  
  
_Uh  
Ya like to dance at all the hip hop spots  
And ya cruise to the crews like connect da dots  
Not just urban she likes the pop  
Cuz she was livin la vida loca_  
_  
She had dumps like a truck truck truck  
Thighs like what what what  
Baby move your butt butt butt  
Uh  
  
I think to sing it again  
She had dumps like a truck truck truck  
Thighs like what what what  
All night long  
Let me see that thonggggg!  
  
_Videl buried her head in her hands, hoping to disappear. The Z-fighters all looked over to the bar, trying to hide their laughter at Videl's embarrassment. "Why me?" 

The Ox King patted her shoulder sympathetically. "At least you know they really like you!" 

Gohan blinked repeatedly. "..."

"Gohan?" 

"..."

"I think he's in a coma." 

"..."

_I like it when the beat goes da na da na  
Baby make your booty go da na da na  
Girl I know you wanna show da na da na  
That thong th thong thong thong  
  
I like it when the beat goes da na da na  
Baby make your booty go da na da na  
Girl I know you wanna show da na da na  
That thong th thong thong thong  
  
_Videl watched as the attractive female bartender flirted with Goten and continued to him drinks without IDing him. "So," the blond poured a tall glass for the youngest Son. "What do you do for a living, honey?"

"I'm a thief," Goten slurred slightly.

"What do you steal?" The blond gasped, putting her hand over her chest.

 "Hearts… and kisses." Goten leaned over to kiss her, but lost balance his on the wobbly bar stool.  The bartender giggled as Goten unceremoniously dropped to the floor.  

"Ouch," Radditz winced as he rejoined the group. "Goten just got to first _and_ second base with the floor."

"Did you have fun mortifying me?" Videl asked dryly, mixing her drink with a straw. "The last time I was this embarrassed was at my high school prom.  Some genius thought it would be funny to untie the strings that held up my dress, and I flashed half the faculty. The shop teacher accidentally cut off another finger while slicing off a piece of sandwich."

Gohan snorted into his drink.  "That's right.  Before I had him for shop, Eight Fingers McGee used to be Nine Fingers McGee.  But on the bright side, you're a legend! I heard that story at my prom, too."

Videl rolled her eyes as she spotted Yamcha and Krillin who were currently hugging each other and singing _The Way We Were _at the top of their lungs. She also happened to spot Goten, slouched at the bar and surrounded by seven empty glasses.  He was still trying to pick up the bartender. "Goten!" Videl waved him over. "Goten, dear. How man drinks have you had?" 

Goten grinned goofily at Videl, swaying dangerously as he picked himself off his stool. "I've hash SHEVEN SHCREAMING ORGASHMS!" He then proceeded in glomping Videl with all his might. 

Gohan pulled his brother off his partner, his face turning blood red. "WHAT!? WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO VIDEL!?" 

"Calm down Gohan. A screaming orgasm is a drink," Videl soothed. "Goten. I think maybe it's time to call it a night."

"But Viiiiiiiiiiidelieeeeeee, after the firsht few they all kinda tashted like water, ya know?" Goten giggled. Goten quickly downed another glass. "YEAH! TONIGHT I'VE HASHD EIGSHT SHCREAMING ORGASHMS! Thash gotta be a record or shomething, right?"

"It's gotta be," Radditz agreed. 

Trunks rushed by and grabbed his intoxicated friend. "Come on Goten, why don't you go lay down, okay?" 

"Hey Trunksh. Want a shcreaming orgashm? That blond girl at the bar gave me EIGHT! Bye bye pretty lady!" 

Trunks laughed nervously. "Whatever you say buddy. Whatever you say." He dragged Goten off before he could embarrass himself any further. Goten latched onto his best friend and whispered something in his ear that made him turn magenta. 

Videl shook her head. "He's going to have one hell of a hangover when he wakes up. Poor Goten."

"He better sober up before he gets home. My mother will have kittens if she sees my brother drunk. Not to mention I'll get blamed for it somehow," Gohan winced. "I'm really not in the mood to be on the receiving end of my mother's wrath, especially when she's high on cough syrup."

"I would never want to be at the end of that woman's wrath," Videl felt someone spin her stool around. She was face to face with a semi-inebriated Bulma who pulled her off the stool. "Come on, let's dance!" Videl threw a pleading look back at Gohan, Radditz and the Ox King but they just waved. Videl shrugged and followed the lawyer onto the dance floor, noting how empty it was. _Heh, people are probably too wasted to even stand up straight. _Bulma flicked on the radio, which was incidentally on the dance mix version of the song _Wild Wind_. Videl didn't feel the usual anxiety she got when dancing freestyle in front of people which she owed to the three red devils she downed before getting on the dance floor. She put all her worries out of her mind and concentrated on dancing with Bulma, who looked more into it then she did.

"Damn," Radditz watched the two women dance, a lustful look on his face. "Look at them go."

"Yeah. They're both very good dancers, aren't they?" Gohan still didn't realize he was drinking from an empty glass.

"Very good."

"Very."

The men were so interested in watching the women dance, they didn't even notice Ken trying to get their attention. "Hello?" He waved his hand in front of Gohan's face.

"Wha?" Gohan asked half interestedly. 

Ken rolled his eyes. "Forget it. I'll just get a drink while you fellows continue to openly ogle my girlfriend."

"Yeah, have a few drinks and then, you know, drive home," Radditz commented offhandedly.

The song soon ended (much to the disappointment of the males in the room) and Videl and Bulma were panting. Videl wiped her forehead, very happy with willingness to dance in front of everyone. Well, mostly everyone. Krillin and Yamcha were currently passed out on the couch and most of the younger children had gone to bed. Bulma threw her arm around Videl's shoulder, giving her a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "You're a good dancer, dear. Also very cute."

Videl slapped herself on the forehead. Bulma only had one or two drinks, Videl was afraid to see what she would do if she had more. "Thanks for the compliment Bulma, but you're a married woman. Speaking of which, here comes your husband now," Videl handed Bulma off to Vegeta. "She's really, really toasted."

Bulma smiled hazily up at her husband. "You're cute too." She kissed him soundly on the nose.

Vegeta's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly as he dragged Bulma back to the couch wordlessly. Videl rejoined her friends at the bar, surprised to see them talking rather pleasantly with Ken. "Hey guys, what's up?"

"How was your dirty little dance session with our favorite lady ADA?" Radditz couldn't help but ask. "It's look pretty good from this view."

Ken wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Was that really Bulma Briefs dancing like _that_? It makes me wonder what kind of lawyer she is."

"Bulma Briefs could convince a jury that Jeffrey Dahmer had an eating disorder," Videl glared at her boyfriend. "You're such a snob, you know that? Have a little fun once in while, it won't kill you."

Ken shrugged, and whispered, "I have to be on guard at all times. I have a very dangerous job you know. People everywhere are out to get me."

"Why does that come as no shock?" Gohan asked loudly. He knew he was being incredibly rude and this was very out of character for him, but he could always blame the liquor later. Though, most people wouldn't care because no one here was very fond of Ken to begin with.

Bardock managed to keep a straight face. "What do you do for a living, Ken?"

"I'm a divorce lawyer. Do you know how many matrimonial attorneys were attacked last year?

"I know one who should have been," Radditz whispered into his nephew's ear.

Ken ignored the whispers and continued. "Just last night I was working with a woman who was totally insane. She had to be subdued. She even took a swing at me during a deposition. 

"I can't imagine why," Gohan muttered under his breath. He had never disliked someone so much in his life before. He briefly wondered if anyone would miss Ken if he inexplicably had gone missing. 

Videl looked around at the men nervously. This really wasn't going very well, she noticed. They still didn't like Ken no matter what attempts she made. "I'm going to the bathroom and then we can leave, okay Ken?"   Without waiting for a response she rushed out of the room, grabbing her bag on the way out. She quietly snuck onto the second floor balcony and pulled out a package of Marlboro Lights. She lit a cigarette and took a well deserved drag. 

"I thought you were trying to quit," a voice said lightly. 

Videl nearly burned herself with the cigarette. "SHIT! Don't scare me like that, Goku. And for God's sake, take that wig off. You're freaking the crap out of me." 

Goku pulled off his Satan wig and stood next to Videl.  They looked into the evening sky together.  "Did you have fun tonight?" 

"Yeah, it was interesting. I got hit on by Bulma," she said amusedly. "That was the highlight of my night." 

Vegeta stepped into the balcony from the guest bedroom, where he had placed his wife in order to stop her from making a bigger fool of herself.  Or hit on anyone. "You better watch out, Vegeta. You've got competition for Bulma now." Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "Bulma kissed Videl." 

"Who hasn't?" 

Videl threw a murderous look at Vegeta. "Is that jealousy I hear in your voice, Vegeta?" 

"It's nausea. I accidentally ate something Bulma cooked," Vegeta rubbed his temples. "And I had so much to live for, too." 

"I would have thought you would have built up an immunity to Bulma's poison." Videl flicked her cigarette off the railing. "If you don't make it through the night, can I have that gorgeous black leather chair from your office?" 

"I heard that!" Bulma moaned from inside the room. 

Videl picked up her bag. "That's my cue to leave, boys. I'll see you two on Monday," she waved to them as she went to retrieve her jacket and then Ken. She raised her eyebrow at the sight of Ken and Gohan glaring at each other in a very open fashion. "Uh, excuse me. Could we lower the level of testosterone just a little? It's a bit suffocating." 

Ken sobered, turning to his girlfriend and grabbing her hand tightly.  "Alright, hun.  Let's just go home and get to bed, shall we?  I'm dying to be alone with you."  Videl felt herself redden, and Ken grinned in triumph.  "Could you get the car from the valet, dear?"

"I.. I guess," she stammered, half embarrassed and half completely pissed that she was being thrown in the middle of this territorial battle between her partner and her boyfriend.  And her boyfriend was making it perfectly clear who staked his claim first.  And after her blush receded, all that was left was anger.  "Wait," she amended.  "It's your car.  Go get it yourself!  I still have to say good-bye to my friends."  She stole a glace at Gohan, who looked as if he was ready beat Ken into submission.

Ken frowned, grabbing the valet ticked from Videl, also noting the look on Gohan's face.  He couldn't blow his cover now, he'd have to retreat.  But not before said,  "Try not to be too long," he reached down and kissed Videl on the corner of her mouth before heading out of Capsule Corp.

"And you," she turned to Gohan, "you're like a little kid who doesn't want to share!  What's your problem with Ken?  Not even _Vegeta_ hates him this much!"

Gohan looked away.  "I just don't trust him."

"Funny," she said.  "He says the same about you.  Look, I love him," Gohan winced, but since he wasn't facing her, Videl didn't notice, "and I care about you, too.  It hurts me that the two most important men in my life won't get along."

"You care about me?"  Gohan turned slowly around.

"Maybe just a little."

"A little."

"A little will become a lot less," she promised, hauling her boomerang, "if you don't stop this shit with Ken.  Don't make me have to choose, Gohan."  Her eyes were pleading.  "Just don't."

Gohan sighed, and closed his eyes.  He opened them to see the daughter of the mayor looking at him in anticipation.  "Fine.  But if he puts one _toe_ out of line…" 

Videl smiled in relief.  "You have my permission to pull his liver out of his nose, okay?"

"Ew," Gohan blanched.  

"Good night, Houshi-sama," she bowed to Gohan slightly, glad that at least she could get Gohan to agree with her.  She'd work on Ken later, using force, if necessary.  A little harmless teasing didn't bother her (hell, she got a kick out of every Harry Potter joke that was said that night, not that Ken wasn't asking for it) but the tension was getting a bit too serious for her tastes.  And Ken… he was the first guy in a while that Videl really liked.  And liked her, too.  Loved even, despite her hours, her disposition, her faults, and the way she usually projected the "unapproachable" vibe.

But… if she really wanted to be honest with herself, if she had met Gohan before she had met Ken… she didn't want to think about it.  She was with Ken, and they loved each other, and Gohan was her partner and only her partner.  Period.  

"It's been a pleasure, Sango," chimed in Gohan, getting into the role.  "Might I say that you looked lovely this evening."

Videl narrowed her eyes suspiciously.  "You might, but you're probably thinking something dirty."

Gohan laughed, leaning down.  His cheek brushed against hers.  "You're probably right," he whispered, before grabbing her ass.

Videl stood there for a moment, before realizing that there was an extra weight on her behind.  She screeched and jumped away from him.  "You!"

Gohan smiled innocently.  "Me?"

Videl grabbed the boomerang tightly.   "You're going to get it now, Rookie?"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Come back here, you letch!"

"Ahhhhh, Dad, stop her!  She's going to kill me with that boomerang!"

"I think I'll just watch, thank you."

"She's pretty good with that thing, Kakarott."

"Ah, twenty first century police work at its finest."

"Shake your bon-bon!  Shake it over here, baby!"

"Who let Goten out?!  Argh!  It's going to take me another half an hour to catch him!  No, Goten!  Get back here!  Bad Goten!  Don't touch that!  I mean, her!  GOTEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Goku, I'm going to kill both of your sons.  Please give my condolences to Chi-Chi.  Come back here, Gohan!  GOHAN!"

It was hours before sounds ceased to be coming from the grounds of Capsule Corp.  The last of the guests were gone (except for Goten, who was passed out in a guest room) and Vegeta had tucked his daughter into bed (long after her bedtime, but whatever, she'd asked nicely to stay awake longer, and if she didn't get up in the morning, it wasn't his problem) and carried his wife back to their bedroom.  He threw -- okay, okay, placed her gently -- on the bed, crawled in beside her, and pulled the covers over them.

Elsewhere, Gohan was getting ready for bed after retreating back to his apartment.  He had finally escaped Videl, but only after being hit soundly in the head with _hiraikotsu_ too many times to count.  He rubbed his head as he brushed his teeth, wondering when it was exactly that he became to think of Videl as more than just his partner.  As more than just a friend.  He washed his face slowly, questioning his sanity.  She has a boyfriend, he told himself sternly.  She has a boyfriend, and you don't need a girlfriend.  Not after what happened last time…

"But baby," Ken said to Videl across town, watching as she pulled on a pair of sweatpants.  "I don't trust him."

Videl groaned.  "He doesn't want to marry me, Ken.  He's just doing his job."

"Did he put "groping" on his resume?  Because if he did, I think he's in the wrong profession." 

"It was harmless," Videl insisted, pulling her hair up into a sloppy bun.  She walked over to her boyfriend and kissed his forehead.  "I'm going to be in the study for a bit, I need to finish a couple of reports."

"It's four in the morning," Ken whined, putting his arms around her and pulling her down on top of him.  "Just come to bed."

She stared at him.   "You really promise you'll try to get along with Gohan?"

"Yes," he kissed her nose and held her tightly.

"Really?"

"Really, really."

Videl pried his hands from around her and got into bed beside him.  She rested her head on his chest.  "I guess I can do those reports in the morning."

Ken grinned.  "That's my baby," he whispered, noticing that Videl was already falling asleep.  Well, no wonder.  She'd chased that fool around Capsule Corp. for over fifteen minutes before he had returned to see what was taking her.  Soon, he thought, running his hands through his sleeping girlfriend's hair.  Soon Ken would show Gohan that Videl was his was his, and nobody, NOBODY, not even Goku's son, took what was his.

Now it was personal.  

------------

And now, we present, Goten's guide to getting drunk:

**Goten:**  There are many drinks in this chapter that you may have never heard of before.  First is the Red Devil.  *pictures flash of Videl drinking*  This is Videl's signature drink, obviously.   It's made with  1 1/2 oz Vodka, 1 1/2 oz Peach schnapps, 1 1/2 oz Southern Comfort , 1 1/2 oz Sloe gin, 2 oz Triple sec, 2 oz Orange juice and a  splash of Grenadine.  Ice is added first, then the alcohols are mixed in, followed by the juice and grenadine. All ingredients are then mixed and the drink is served in a 12 ounce glass.

Radditz asks for a Martini, the drink of choice, of course, of James Bond.  *pictures flash of Radditz trying to hit on Videl* It's made with 2 1/2 oz Gin, 1 1/2 tsp Dry Vermouth  and a twist of Lemon peel.  In a mixing glass half-filled with ice cubes, the gin and vermouth are combined, stirred (or shaken) well, and strained into a cocktail glass. It also usually garnished with an olive or a lemon.

Gohan drinks a Bloody Mary, which is made with 1 1/2 oz Vodka, 3 oz Tomato juice, a dash of Lemon juice, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 2-3 drops Tabasco sauce  and a wedge of Lime .  As you can see, almost everything in this drink has nutritional value.  *grumbles as pictures of Gohan and Videl flash*  That dork.  And he's going to get the girl too, isn't he?  ISN'T HE?! 

Finally.  My drink.  The Screaming Orgasm.  Personally, I only tried it because the words, "screaming orgasm" make Trunks blush like a schoolgirl.  Anyway, a Screaming Orgasm can be a cocktail or a shot, and I was taking shots (I…er… think).  Anyway, it's made with 1 shot of Amaretto, 1 shot of Bailey's irish cream, and 1 shot of a good quality Vodka.  Cheap vodka can cause the Bailey's to curdle, so use the good stuff!

I was also sent to tell you that the authors do not encourage under age drinking, or drinking and driving.  Please drink responsibly, and not at all like me.

*dances as he hops off the stage*  


	5. Case 3: Shadows of the Past, Visions ...

About Law and Disorder-: I'll tell you how it all started. Ilana came home from college during the summer and made me sit in our room and watch old reruns of Law and Order. I ADORE that show now. The witty humor, the funny bad guys, the handcuffs, what's not to love? People have set the standard for these cop/detective fics and I've decided to break 'em all =D Videl is a homicide detective for the SCPD, working under Captain Son Goku. Everything is going fine and dandy, until Goku breaks the news to her: She's getting partner, which happens to be his son. Special appearances will be made by Vegeta (as the District Attorney) his prosecutor wife, Bulma and their son, Trunks who gets them all the fun gadgets. Krillin is Bulma's partner in prosecuting and Yamcha and Yajirobie are smart-ass cops who love to bother Videl and try to get laid.

Sounds like a fun place to work right? 

-Disclaimer hoedown-   
I don't own Vegeta and that makes me sad  
But I do own Leather!Gohan and that makes me glad  
So if you want to sue me, just go ahead and try  
Because I'll just make you feel guilty when you make me cry!

Sorry about the formatting.  We're still trying to work out the bugs.  
  


-------------------  
  
Law and Disorder  
By: CCS Angel00   
Brought to you by: Waves and Rocks, baby!  
  
--------------------  
Case # 3: Shadows of the Past, Visions of the Future  
--------------------  
  


***

_"Amantium irae redinte gratio amaris"  
 "The quarrels among people in love are the renewals of love"  
  
_

***

Novembers were always cold in South City.  Just ask the homeless, struggling to find shelter, or the drug dealers, anxious to spend their hard earned income on something to warm up with.  Or you could ask Big Stu, the owner of the Fourth Avenue diner, who knew that the cold wasn't always from the weather.

This November night, he remembered, was especially cold.  It was late, late for business and much too late to be out in this neighborhood, and yet there she was, flipping the pages of her AP Physics book, scribbling away in a small notebook.  Big Stu placed a cup of coffee on the counter in front of her, making her head snap up in his direction.

"How much?" Issei Kei rummaged through her wallet, flashing Big Stu a few hundreds as she searched for a single. Big Stu somehow doubted she even had one in there. Or knew what a single was.

He grinned.  Man, was she ever in the wrong neighborhood.  "It's on the house. Just think of it as a contribution to learning," he pointed at her textbook. "Looks pretty hard."

The pretty blonde smiled, her white teeth almost blinding. "Kind of--" She was interrupted by the sound a ringing phone.   She reached into her bag, pulled out her phone and picked up, her happy, but tired demeanor changing almost instantly. "Where have YOU BEEN? I've been waiting here for almost an three hours and you have the nerve to call me-- Fine. I'm just going home then. Yeah, screw you too." She hung up, gathering her things and putting a twenty on the counter before leaving. "Keep the change," she mumbled.

Big Stu shrugged, happy that the nice young lady would be going home, hopefully to somewhere safer then South City. He was in the midst of grabbing a sponge to wipe down the countertop when he heard a hysterical cry of a woman and the sound of squealing tires. He ran out of the diner, his face contorting into a look of pure horror as he saw the young girl he had been talking to minutes before lying on the ground, her beautiful golden hair covered in blood.

He briefly heard himself gasp, but then there was only a eerily deafening silence until he heard the sirens blaring long in the distance.

---

Videl sighed as she crouched beside the fallen girl, pulling her black pea coat tighter around her small body. No matter how many times she had seen situations like this, she couldn't help but feel... she didn't know how she felt.  Sorry, mostly, that shit like this had to happen, that people existed that made shit like this happen. The victim looked like she could have been someone, but now? Only a statistic. It was a vicious cycle, Videl had concluded many years ago. You only live to die. She shook her head, pulling herself together as she joined Gohan who was currently interviewing the man who owned the diner.

"Please, sir. Anything you can remember would be greatly appreciated," Gohan put his hand on Big Stu's shoulder. Gohan took off his glasses, wiping them more out of habit than need. 

Big Stu sighed and sat down on a bench, wiping his hands nervously on his apron. "She looked like such a bright girl. Reminded me of my own granddaughter. She was studying and then someone called her on her cell phone. She sounded angry," he recalled, rubbing his temples. "I think the person on the phone stood her up."

"Trace all the calls on her cell phone," she handed Yamcha the plastic bag with Kei's cell phone in it.  Leaving Gohan to his questioning, Videl drifted towards Sharpner, who was currently examining the deceased girl. "So? Do we have a name?"

"Issei Kei. Age eighteen. Student at Central City Private School," Sharpner continued to search her wallet. "She's got couple of hundreds in here, a library card and a stick of sugar free gum."

Videl shivered slightly, feeling as though she could never get warm. "Was it a hit and run?" Gohan asked as he pulled his black scarf off and tied it around his partner's neck. 

Sharpner crouched down beside Kei. "I thought of that but, look over there," he pointed to tire tracks which were very visible on the dirt road. "If it were a hit and run, they person would never have stopped, therefore leaving no tracks. This was intentional. Someone was gunning for her." Sharpner pulled his latex gloves off, shoving his hands inside his lab coat. "The blow to the head came from hitting it on the lamppost," he pointed to the gray lamppost streaked with blood. "Any leads?"

Gohan shook his head. "None as of yet, but we won't know anything until we get the check on the cell phone. That'll take at least twenty-four hours."  He shifted his eyes to the ground.  "We have to tell her family."

Videl ran her hands through her hair, her breaths coming out white in the cold temperature. She could already tell it was going to be one of those days.

---

Issei Yui and Hayato sat down on an expensive beige couch, motioning for Gohan and Videl to sit across from them.  Gohan was instantly impressed with their house, decorated in a classical and rich, but not quite gaudy manner.  He bit the inside of his lip and vowed to stop gawking.   

"I'm Detective Satan Videl and this is my partner," Videl motioned to Gohan.

"Detective Son Gohan."

Yui twisted her hands nervously after shaking Videl and Gohan's hands, her bright blue eyes widening anxiously. "Is there a problem with Ami or Kei?" She saw the flicker in Videl's expression as she mentioned Kei. "She's not in trouble is she? That's so unlike her."

"I'm afraid we have some bad news.  Kei was killed last night in South City. She was hit by a car at around two in the morning. We are very sorry for your loss," Gohan explained gently.

Yui gasped as she fell into her husband's arms. She was sobbing hysterically, her husband remaining stoic. His grief seemed to be beyond tears. "She had so much to live for," Hayato stroked his wife's hair. "Kei had a perfect grade point average, was on the girl's field hockey team, and was in all of the honor societies. She was even going to go to Harvard in the fall but now..." This seemed to make Yui sob even harder. "Was it a drunk driver?"

Videl crossed her legs, trying to make herself more comfortable. "We're not sure yet, Ma'am."

This seemed to get Hayato angry. His pale face turned bright purple. "My daughter is dead, hit by some... some maniac, and you're NOT SURE?" he roared, standing up abruptly. "I can see my tax dollars are surely being wasted on incompetent--"

"We're doing the best we can under the circumstances," Gohan soothed, noticing the twitch in Videl's eyebrow. "We just need to ask you a few questions and if you cooperate, we may be able to find your daughter's killer."

Hayato rubbed his eyes, a sob tearing from his throat. He covered his mouth as he felt a crying fit take over. "It's just so hard to accept that she's gone."

"Mrs. Issei, Mr. Issei, do you know any reason why Kei would even _be_ in South City that late at night?" Videl asked.

Yui shook her head. "I thought she was with her stepsister, my daughter Ami, studying at the library. They were supposed to go sleep over a friend's house afterwards."

"Where is Ami now?"

"School of course," Hayato stood up, gesturing poignantly at the door. "If you don't mind, we have some arrangements to take care of.  I'm sure you understand." 

"Here's my number.  Be sure to call if you have any more information--" Gohan handed him the card.

Hayato promptly closed the door in their shocked faces.

"Well," Videl said finally, after finding her voice. "That went well."

Gohan sighed, jamming his hands in his pockets as they made their way back to Gohan's beloved, worn car. "Now we have to deal with hormonal, emotionally unbalanced teenagers. The worse is yet to come."

---

St. Francis High School was small, with enrollment topping at just over three hundred, most disgustingly rich or the kids of politicians and blue bloods. Videl silently thanked her father for letting her go to a public school, deciding she would rather become a juvenile delinquent then a stuck up kid who thought all that mattered in life was how much you had in your back account. 

After roaming the expansive campus for a couple of minutes, she and Gohan soon spotted Ami, an attractive teenager with dark curly hair and large dark eyes. The detectives were polite and friendly; the girl had looked about a step away from death's door, sick over the death of her stepsister. She tried to tell them what happened, but starting sobbing so hard during some parts, she couldn't even complete a sentence.

"Your stepsister ditched you last night? Not the other way around?" Videl scribbled on her pad.

Ami nodded. Her school uniform was rumpled and it looked as though she hadn't slept for some time. "We were supposed to meet at the library to study for our physics final. When she didn't show up, I just assumed she went home. I was so angry that she ditched me when I really needed her help, but now to find out she was killed..." The girl trailed off, staring blankly at the sky.

Gohan pulled Videl away from the girl. "Her alibi is confirmed. The librarian saw her there until closing. Other witnesses, such as the friend's mother and people on the block, confirmed that she was at the friend's house all night."

"Ami," Videl tried gently, sitting down next to the saddened teen. "Do you know if Kei had a boyfriend?"

Ami shook her head, another tear escaping from her eye. "Kei was too hardworking and studious to get distracted by boys. She never so much as went out on a date with a boy. I-- I really should get back to class. People are going to start to wonder..." she said uncertainly.

"Okay," Gohan smiled. "You've been a really big help. Thank you," Ami ran off into the building.

"Excuse me," Videl picked up her ringing phone. "Satan Videl here."

"Miss. Satan, I was wondering if maybe... we could talk. Do you think it would be possible if we could meet in an hour at Satanside Park?" a deep and familiar voice startled Videl. "It's very important I speak with you."

"Of course, Mr. Issei," Videl clicked the phone off, facing her partner who was on his own cell phone. "I think we just got another lead."

Gohan smirked as he closed his phone. "Well isn't this our lucky day? Yamcha just called.  They found an abandoned blue Saturn on 14th and Demon Drive a few minutes ago. The tire marks match the ones from the crime scene. They're finding the person who owns it as we speak."

"And Mr. Issei just called me, saying he wanted to talk to us," Videl shook her head sadly. "This is going to take awhile. Damn it, I should have told Yaj to tape 'Passions' for me."

"Way ahead of you. I already told him to set his VCR. We can watch it on Bad Movies Night."

"It's not THAT bad!" Videl insisted. "But thanks, faithful partner in crime. You've just earned yourself an afternoon with me and maybe some dinner, not to mention a bad, cheesy teenage soap opera."

Gohan smiled like a content kitten the entire ride.

---

Issei Hayato walked at a slow pace, trying not to look to out of the ordinary with two of Satan City's detectives on both of his sides.  The trio walked to a dry park bench; Hayato immediately sat down, motioning for them to do the same. "So? Why did you call us out?" Videl was trying to light a cigarette without it being put out by the wind. She gave a sigh of frustration, fighting the urge to flip Gohan off for his arrogant smirk. 

Hayato sighed, crossing and uncrossing his legs in frustration. "I own a very prominent pharmaceutical company, as you may know. I've done some... things that I'm not very proud of, to keep my business going. And these things that I've done... might have endangered Kei's life."

"Insider trading?" Gohan asked nonchalantly, almost bored. "Selling stock tips? Illegal distribution of medication? Loan shark?"

He nodded sheepishly, his eyes never meeting theirs. "It was going well until I got involved with a few... shady characters. They received a bad tip and lost a lot of money."

"How much are we talking about here?"

"Over a hundred thousand zeni, at least."

"So what you're telling us," Videl reasoned, "is that you think these 'shady characters' killed your daughter out of revenge?" Videl shook her head, a dry laugh escaping her throat. "No offense, Mr. Issei, but if you made me lose one hundred thousand zeni, it would be you underneath my tire."

"Why didn't you tell us before, Mr. Issei?" Gohan shot his partner a dirty look. She _really_ needed to stop hanging out with Vegeta so much.

Hayato closed his bright green eyes, a troubled look on his face. "It's not something to be proud of, Detective. Honestly, I didn't want my wife to know. She's already going through a tough time as it is and I didn't want her to worry about our safety as well."

Videl was about to give a witty retort on how keeping secrets might have killed his daughter in the first place but was interrupted by her cell phone ringing. "Dammit. Did my cell phone get wired up to a party line or something? Satan Videl here," Videl rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance. Gohan looked at her questioningly as her blue eyes snapped open, her mouth practically on the floor. "I see. Thanks, man. I'll see you soon." 

"What happened?"

"Yamcha just informed me they found the owner of the car. We've even got an address," Videl said excitedly. "We'll be sure to stay in touch, sir. Don't hesitate to call if you have any questions or information," Videl and Gohan started jogging towards the car when Videl was rudely bumped into by an attractive woman with dark auburn hair and white fur coat draped around her slender frame.

"Ex_cuse_ me," the woman said in a clipped tone, rushing by.  Her long hair trailed behind her as she passed the two detectives, her heels clanking against the rough sidewalk.   She made her way across the street to where a car was waiting, and, after a doorman opened the door for her, she stepped in.

"Excuse me?"  Videl was muttering under her breath.  "Excuse her!  Spoiled, aristocratic bit -- Gohan?"  She turned to her partner, noting the horrified look he was currently sporting.  His face was as white as the woman's coat and his eyes were wide and frightened. "What's the matter? You look as though you've seen a ghost."

The color returned to Gohan's face as he swallowed loudly. "N-nothing. Let's go." _I know it was her. I would know her anywhere. But why... Why would she come back after so long? _

Videl looked at him curiously, her eyes watching the limousine pull away, taking with it the beautiful, red-haired woman. _Who is she? _

"I said let's go," Gohan repeated loudly, pulling Videl roughly with him. She stopped herself from snapping at him, respecting his mood, if not his privacy.

_I'll find out who she is. Even if it kills me._

---

The two detectives made their way to possibly the most disgusting, wrecked apartment building in the southern district. The paint on the walls were peeling, the windows that weren't boarded up were broken and the doors that weren't kicked in were missing vital pieces. There were a few bullet holes scattered around the walls and floors. The carpet in the hallway of the second floor was pulled up here and there, and there was a smell that reminded Videl of a cross between cheap marijuana and rotting meat left out in the sun. Definitely not pleasant. Videl braced herself before pulling out her gun, trying to ignore the putrid stench that met her nose. "Police! Open up," Gohan knocked loudly, covering his own sensitive nose. He knocked for a few more seconds before kicking the door down completely, pulling it off his hinges.

"Wow," Videl croaked, following in after him. He kicked the door down like it was made out of cardboard! Seeing that woman must have really made him angry. Videl followed Gohan through the house, holding out her gun cautiously. There was dirty laundry, old food and garbage strewn all over. The kitchen was in shambles, the oven was rusted, the cabinets missing their doors and Videl didn't dare to approach the refrigerator. Videl tried not to look at the insanely huge water bugs as she carefully stepped over the garbage obstacle course. 

Gohan opened the bedroom door, shocked to say the least, at the sight before him. The room was even messier then the apartment, if possible. The walls were scratched so badly wiring was showing the mirror was in pieces, pizza boxes were laying on the floor. There was definitely something human on the bed, although he was not moving. "Maybe he's sleeping," Videl suggested, pinching her nose, not caring that she sounded like a Muppet on speed.

"Videl, I broke the door down and we screamed 'police!' about six times. He would have had to take three bottles of sleeping pills and wash it down with vodka to sleep through that," Gohan approached the young man, rolling him over gently on to his stomach. "Or get stabbed a few times." Dried blood was crusted on the man's stomach and chest. The white sheets were drenched in the same as was the blankets. "Well, isn't this an interesting turn of events."

"What is, Gohan?" Videl lowered her gun, still holding her nose.

Gohan stood up, still staring at the young man's abused body. "That's karma for you, Vi. Our killer was murdered."

---

Videl walked with Gohan quietly to her apartment, both lost in their own thoughts of the happenings of the day. Videl wanted to ask him about the mysterious woman, but knew he could turn his feelings off as quickly as he turned them on. Videl didn't like seeing her partner so upset and serious, but he rarely ever wanted her help with anything personal. She knew almost nothing about his past and he wasn't exactly offering any information. Videl had wanted to learn more about him, but after awhile she couldn't bring herself to bother him about it anymore. If he wanted to tell her, he would in his own time. That was just his way and she tried to respect it as best as she could. But this whole thing bothered her more then his usual silence and she wasn't sure why. She yearned to know why this woman was so important to him, why he looked so sad and why he couldn't talk about it with her. They were the best of friends now, almost inseparable, but he still didn't feel he could tell her about this. Why?

"Yes, why is the question of the hour isn't it?" Gohan inquired as they approached her apartment door.

Videl was shaken out of her thoughts, blinking rapidly at her partner. "What?"

"You asked, 'Why?'" Gohan said in a tired voice. "I better head home. Goodnight, Videl." He turned to walk towards the elevator when he felt Videl's hand on his arm. _Don't ask me why I'm leaving. Don't ask me why I'm leaving. Don't ask me--_

"Why are you leaving? We have five hours worth of brain breaking soap operas to watch," Videl watched him carefully, noticing his blank expression. She quickly let go of his arm, stepping back to stare at him sullenly. "You can't tell me, right? It has something to do with that red haired woman we saw in the park, right?"

"Videl--"

Videl shook her head, a hurt look in her eyes. "We're supposed to be friends. Good friends. Partners. You can't even trust me enough to tell me who she is?" _Why can't you ever trust me? What is she to you? _

Gohan averted his eyes, his hands the pockets of his worn jacket. "It's not that simple, Vi. It's just--"

"Objection," she thrust her finger an inch away from his eyes. "Cute shortening of my name implies we like each other. I'm not particularly fond of you at this moment. I'm going to go shower and get the smell of stale pizza and dead bodies off of me. I'll see you tomorrow." She went to slam the door in his face, but was intercepted by his arm lodging itself in her doorway. Videl tried to close the door on him but to no avail.

"I'm sorry," was all he could say. He removed his arm from her door, looking deeply into her eyes, trying to make her understand.

Apparently, she didn't. "Yeah, me too." She proceeded in slamming the door as hard as humanly possibly.

He sighed deeply and made his way back to his car, feeling a lot lower then he did only minutes before. Videl did have a right to be angry with him. He was keeping things from her. But why couldn't she understand it was for her own good? He would never do anything to hurt her. Why couldn't she see how special she was to him? She was such an observant girl, and yet she couldn't see one thing that was right in front of her eyes the whole time.

Gohan parked his car on the street, trying to give himself a pep talk before entering his apartment, knowing what, or rather, who, was waiting for him inside. He didn't bothering using his keys, knowing she had left the door unlocked for him. Gohan opened the door, not surprised to see a white mink coat hanging on a chair in his kitchen. He stared at the familiar figure sitting on his table, legs crossed, holding photographs in her perfectly smooth, snow white hands. She looked immaculate, as usual, in an expensive forest green dress that ended inches above her knee and matching shoes that set off her hazel, sometimes green eyes. Said eyes were currently staring back at him prettily, running a perfectly manicured red fingernail (looking very much like a sharp claw) over the photograph in her hands. "Hi, dearest. You seem to have a lot of pictures of this woman. Have you forgotten about me already?" It was picture of him and Videl at the Halloween party, his arm around her shoulders, both smiling happily.

"Have you forgotten breaking and entering is a crime?" he asked just as calmly, taking back the pictures from her hands. "Give these back before you get them dirty." He set them back gently in their proper places, dusting them off to further annoy her. He then noticed that she was still holding the one picture he kept in his room. It was when he and Videl had gone to the park to see the falling leaves, he recalled. She had told him fall was her favorite season, because even though the leaves fell and trees became bare, it made her look forward to spring when they would become full again.   It was his favorite picture of Videl, capturing an innocence that she probably didn't think she possessed.  Sitting underneath one of the largest trees, pushing her long black hair away from her face and away from her sky blue eyes, she gave the camera, and Gohan, behind the camera, one of the prettiest smiles he had ever seen.

"Oh, what are you going to do? Arrest me?" She laughed mockingly at him, running a hand through her perfect auburn locks, looking at him predatorily. She looked like a fox who had just spotted her wounded prey and wasn't about to let it go.

"What are you doing here?" His dark eyes burned into hers. "What is this all about?"

She walked towards him, running a hand down his muscular arm, ignoring the way he winced as soon as she touched him. "Well, it's about an attraction that I thought was over and now I'm beginning to think that maybe it's not." _Watch, faithful viewers, as the fox digs her claws and fangs into her prey._

"Usually in my dreams, this is where I try to run and can't."

She gave him a very feline smile. "I don't see you trying to run away now, Gohan. Tell me you can't look at me and remember what he had."

He grabbed her shoulders, pushing her away roughly. "I want to look at you and not feel hurt by what you've done. You can't just expect me to forget the past and let you use me like one of your playthings. You left me, remember? For whatever lame reason, YOU left ME. It's just like you to forget minor details such as that to suit your own selfish needs."

"We were just going different places in our lives. I was starting a new job and... Come on, Gohan. Haven't you ever wanted to be part of something special?" She asked in cute and childish voice, batting her lashes.

His eyes were cold and unmoving. "I thought I _was part of something special. But I was very wrong. Now get out."_

"But--"

"Out." He was so calm, it was unnerving to her. This wasn't the Gohan she remembered. The Gohan she remembered always wore his heart on his sleeve. She could always tell what he was thinking. Now he was a totally different person. Had she really done that to him? "Now. I will not tell you again." 

She grabbed her coat, turning towards the door. "Alright. But I'll be in town for a few weeks... on business. You remember my number, I'm sure."

"Is it still 666?" he asked in the same emotionless voice. He permitted himself to take one last look at her, which was a grave mistake on his part. As if his body was moving on its own, he crossed the room and was soon holding her in his arms, kissing her roughly. She kissing him back just as fiercely, ripping her coat off, letting it fall to the ground as if it was a worthless piece of garbage. He felt himself pick her up and bring her to his bedroom, not even noticing or caring  he hit her head on the wall. Because at that moment, he just didn't care. The apathy flowed through him like a shot of liquor, numbing him.  He didn't care _who_ he was hurting. He didn't care that the rational side of him was screaming that this was wrong in so many ways. He didn't care, _couldn't care because he _couldn't_ feel. He felt void of all real emotion at that moment. Reason, logic and even kindness and caring were thrown out the window. It was all need. Want. Desire. And at that moment, he didn't care how it was satisfied._

Long after it was over, Gohan stared up at the ceiling, his mind void of any complete thought. He felt so frozen… so dead. He glanced briefly at the sleeping figure next to him and then to the floor, where his picture frame that held his picture of Videl was laying in pieces. Suddenly, he felt a familiar emotion fill his stomach. Guilt. Gohan turned over, closing his eyes tightly, praying to fall into an unconscious state before he drowned in his new found emotional sea of turmoil, remorse and most of all, regret. 

 But somehow, Son Gohan knew sleep would not come easily that night.

---

Gohan sat on a chair in his father's office, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep in days, dark circles painted his lower lids and his clothes were rumpled. Goku was looking at his son sympathetically, offering him food which Gohan surprisingly turned down. "All right, just go ahead. Get your shots in."

 "No, no. I'm just glad you're all right. I would have assumed she killed after mating," Goku replied jokingly, snickering at his clever joke. 

Needless to say, Gohan was less than appreciative at his humor. "I am the biggest fool in the world, Dad. How could I have done that? How could I have let myself be sucked in?" He smacked his head against the wall. "How could I be so weak?"

Goku folded his hands on his desk, looking at his son straight in the eye. "Everyone makes mistakes. Maybe you were feeling lonely. It could have been anyone and she was just… there. These things happen. But nothing is going to get fixed if you keep denting my wall like that."

Gohan sighed, running his hands through his hair. "I don't know what I should do. Tell me what to do."

His father shook his head. "You know I can't do that. But, I have an idea.  Why don't you talk to Videl?"

 "NO!" Gohan screamed, getting nose to nose with his father. "Don't EVER mention this to her! What would she think of me if I slept with a woman who—No, no way."

Goku gave his son a disbelieving look. "Come on, Gohan. Videl's a woman, not the Virgin Mary. Don't you think of all people, Videl would understand? You don't think she's ever gone through this before? She _has slept with half the people in this office—" Goku was interrupted as the door to his office swung open, revealing a very red Satan Videl, who was holding some sort of microphone in her hands. "By the way, son, did you know that she's had my office bugged since the day she started working here?"_

 "I HAVE NOT SLEPT WITH HALF THE PEOPLE IN THIS OFFICE!" Videl shrieked as the nearby cops have her significant looks.   She pointed her finger at Goku, who looked about ready to explode with laughter.  "Now I know who's been spreading rumors about me." She turned to Gohan, who looked as though he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him. "So that's what you've been hiding? You've been boffin' that rich girl? Alright, come here," she pulled him out of the office, setting him next to her own desk. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. You know, you had me worried. I thought it was something a lot more serious then this."

 "This IS serious!" Gohan hissed. "I'm not one of those guys who are into these—! Look, I just don't feel comfortable talking about this with you, okay? And STOP BUGGING MY FATHER'S OFFICE!!!" Gohan stormed off to the bathroom, the guilty feelings exploding in rage. He didn't want to see her pity for his weakness and her look of disappointment at his actions. His cell phone starting ringing and he felt the urge to throw it at the wall. "WHAT?!"

 "Yo, man. Relax," Sharpner replied. "I just called to tell you that besides the wounds that were fatal, there was a lot of something called hesitation wounds all over his guy's body.   Sev says that the person who did this was obviously close to this guy and thought twice about killing him. Also, the tox screen came out negative.  Gohan?  GOHAN?  What exactly is wrong with you?"

 "Nothing," Gohan sighed, rubbing his temples. "Thanks, I'll be in touch if I have any other questions. Later."

Yamcha knocked on the bathroom door tentatively. "Um, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but I got the address of Hiroya's mother. I'll just uh… leave you to your business," Gohan heard Yamcha leave and finally heard him giving the address to Videl. She still sounded a bit shocked over his outburst and honestly, he couldn't blame her.

 "… you believe the nerve of Gohan? Yelling at me like that. I was only worried about him!" Videl snorted. "Next time he wants to fuck an ex-girlfriend, he better not come crying to me for advice."

Gohan briefly wondered if anyone besides his mother would miss him if he drowned himself in a toilet.

---

The tension between Gohan and Videl was highly noticeable and very thick. Both were excruciatingly polite to each other, although most could see Videl's voice was strained and forced more then Gohan's. They rode in complete silence to the mother of Hiroya Benjiro's house, the man who was found dead in his apartment only the night before. Gohan turned his head slightly, noting Videl's crossed arms and her inability to look at him. The one time she did look at him, she noticed how exhausted he looked and almost felt sorry for him. At some moments he looked ready to burst into tears or punch a wall or even throw himself off a building. She almost asked him what was wrong, but stopped herself. Why should she even care anymore?

They pulled up to a small, pleasant looking house, parking in the driveway. Hiroya Jun, a small, fragile blond woman, looked on the verge of tears as they entered her home. She was polite enough, offering them tea and cakes, but they could see her shaking hands as she placed a tea cup on the table, nearly smashing it to bits.

"I realize you must be going through a hard time, Mrs. Hiroya," Videl said in the most gentle and understanding voice she could muster. "But we would really appreciate if you could answer a few questions for us."

Jun nodded, sitting back on her couch, hands folded neatly across her lap. "Can you tell us when the last time you saw your son was?"

"It was two days ago," Jun whispered in a broken voice. "We always have breakfast together on Friday mornings. Since we live so far away from each other, we made a designated day to see each other. Ben always loved to visit..."

Gohan flipped through a small notepad. "Do you know any reason why Benjiro would want to hurt Issei Kei?"

"He could have done it without even realizing it," Jun ran her hands over his couch pillows nervously. "Ben had some mental problems. Schizophrenia. He was hospitalized from awhile, but as long as he took his medication, he was able to come home and live a normal life."

Videl narrowed her eyes at the petit woman. "Was he taking his medications regularly?"

Jun looked uneasy. "I'm not sure, I don't live with him.   He seemed fine when I saw him last so..."

"I see. Thank you for your time," Gohan and Videl stood up, walking themselves out. Gohan picked up his cell phone, dialing the number on the forensics lab. "Yo, Shapner. It's Gohan. Tell me, was Hiroya Benjiro dead before Friday morning? Really. Uh huh, I thought so, thanks Sharpner, I'll be in touch."

Videl permitted herself to give Gohan a cool look. "What did Sharpner say?"

"That Benjiro was dead hours before Friday morning. And there were over ten hesitation wounds all over the body before the actual fatal stab. He said the killer was probably someone very close to him, who wasn't sure at first about killing him. Also, she said he was on medication and I remember Sharpner telling me before his tox scan came out negative for any drugs. You know what this means, don't you? We'll have to bring her in for questioning."

Videl shrugged, a cold look mirroring the one he had worn last night, covering her face. "So be it."

---

Seventeen, although one of Satan City's finest criminal psychiatrists, was most definitely not one of Videl's favorite people. Especially on a day when she was pissed off. Or calm. Or breathing. He was forever trying to psychoanalyze her and he was convinced that there was a connection between her inability to keep a decent romantic relationship and whatever relationship she had with her father. Finally, not long after she turned him down for a date which most probably end up in degrading sex that would make her hate herself in the morning, he had finally diagnosed her. He was convinced she was a lesbian.

"Hey, Vi," his ice blue eyes glittered with mischief. "How's sex without a dick?"

"I don't know, Sev," she answered calmly, rolling her eyes. "You tell me." She was annoyed at his accusations, at the fact Gohan was hiding things from her, and the fact they had to wait for Jun's lawyer to begin any sort of interrogation. "Fuck. I wonder which lawyer Hiroya's going to get," Videl thought out loud. "She isn't exactly well off so I guess she'll be getting one who's into all that _pro bono_ crap..." She looked up to see Seventeen laughing at her. "What's your problem?"

"I'm not the one with a problem," Seventeen let his gaze fall on Gohan, who was currently talking with father and Yajirobie quietly. "You have all this sexual frustration and it's making you irritable. I know a few cute girls actually who could be your type--"

 "That's an unsubstantiated rumor," Videl growled.

 "The best kind!" Seventeen cocked his head thoughtfully. "Do you prefer being the dominant or submissive one?"

Videl smacked him in the back of the head, trying to ignore the giggles from her co-workers. "I AM NOT GAY!" she hissed, blushing lightly.

"I think those well worn flannel pajamas I saw at your apartment sing a different tune, my friend," Seventeen sat on the desk, crossing his legs. "Fine. If you're not a lesbian then prove it to me." Seventeen smirked as he saw Gohan's head snap towards them. "Go on a date with me. We'll rent a movie. You're into lesbian porn right?"

"Who isn't?" Videl asked sarcastically. "This is so pathetic. You have to harass a woman about her sexuality to get a date. You're disgusting, you know that?"

Seventeen shrugged. "Well, its working, isn't it? Come on; let me take you out to dinner. Then I can make a full evaluation."

 "I'm not a lesbian, but I'm beginning to see the reasoning behind it," Videl rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee. "Fine. ONE date, then you'll leave me alone?" She almost spit out her drink when she saw the look on Gohan's face. _Serves you right. "I'll meet you at my father's club for drinks on Saturday. Eight thirty, don't keep me waiting."_

He grinned, pushing his ebony locks over his shoulder, glancing over where Jun was having coffee. "Speaking of waiting, I just had an idea concerning Lizzie Borden over there. Go talk to her. 

"I've already talked to her."

"As a friend, Satan, not as a detective," he whispered. "Do that thing all you chicks do. You know, where you get all understanding and weepy?"

"Uhh… Sympathize?" Had she _really_ just agreed to go out this guy?

 "Just imagine that she's me and there's something you want to know but I don't want to talk about it. What would you do?" Seventeen asked impatiently.

Videl looked horrified. "You want me to BEAT it out of her?!"

Seventeen smacked himself in the forehead. "No! Talk to her about children, about being a mother.  Motherly instinct is to protect and nurture, not to kill.   Just… try to see if you can arouse some of emotions that come with being a mother.  Try guilt; that always works.  If she doesn't confess after that, you've got the wrong person. What could it hurt to try? You're not breaking any rules per se," Seventeen pinched her cheek lightly. "Not to mention you're a lot cuter when you're calm." Seventeen ignored the death glare he was receiving from Gohan, giving him the victory sign and a toothy grin as Videl went to talk to Jun.

 "Is this seat taken?" Videl asked kindly, gesturing towards the seat across from Jun. 

Jun shook her head quickly. She sipped her coffee, slowly and carefully. "Ms. Satan, do you have any kids?"

_Bingo.  "No, actually. I'm not even married," Videl unbuttoned her coat. "I do hope to have them someday. I always liked kids. I was an only child growing up and my mother died when I was about ten."_

Jun gasped, holding the mug tightly in her hands. "That's terrible."

 "My mother was a dancer.  She was… well… all I can tell is that when she was on stage, she was breathtaking.   One day,  she and my father got into this awful car accident. The accident didn't kill her, butt left her paralyzed from the waist down. For a dancer, the loss of your legs is like death, you see, and to escape the emptiness, she tried to relive her dancing career through me."  Videl bit her bottom lip.  She'd told this story to Gohan a couple of weeks ago, and though her mother's death was years ago, he still ended up holding her while she cried.  He had run his hands through her hair, whispering that he knew how she felt that that the pain would go away.  Time, he said, holding her tightly to him, really does heal a broken heart.

But enough thinking about Gohan.  She was mad at him, and anyway, she had a job to do.

"She trained me very hard to be a dancer. Sometimes, too hard. Once when I was eight I came down with a bad case of the flu the night before a big recital, but my mother refused to let me skip it.   If my father tried to contradict her, she would just make him feel guilty by saying it was his fault she couldn't be the one dancing. I know she was just trying to make me a better dancer, but it didn't change the fact I got pneumonia afterwards," Videl said dryly, remember that incident all too well. "And it didn't change the fact that I would just never be as good as she was, or as good as she wanted me to be."

Videl glanced at Jun out of the corner of her eye, noting that her story was eliciting a response.   The suspect's eyes were clouded over in sadness, and wavered with tears.  It was time to drop the big guns.

"I was never good enough,"  Videl said, trying as hard as she could not to break down and cry,  because although it would help the investigation, it would do nothing for her reputation, "and when I was ten, my mother decided that the world wasn't good enough either.  She killed herself."

 "Parents… parents sometimes do things they think will benefit their children, when it only benefits themselves. They try so hard to be good parents, to raise good children, but sometimes…" Jun looked away, tears dripping down her face. "Sometimes they go to extreme lengths to teach their children. They do things they can't ever take back."

Videl put her hand over Jun's. "Mrs. Hiroya?"

Jun dropped her head into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably, beyond any consolation. Videl looked at the woman, then up at Gohan who was listening closely by the door, as she knew he would be. Before Videl had a chance to say anything, she heard voices, arguing madly, by Goku's office. She excused herself after handing Jun a tissue and brushed past Gohan, following the sounds of the angry voices.

 "That confession is certainly not going to be admissible in count! You never even mentioned her right to counsel!"  Videl's eyes widened at the sight of a familiar looking red-haired woman. Her face was as red as her hair as she continued to scream at Goku, who looked at her with a very bored smile.  This, Videl noted, seem to infuriate her further, but she wasn't getting help from Bulma, either, who actually looked pretty ticked off.

Seventeen snorted, hopping off the desk. "'Hi, how are you?' is barely interrogating someone, Lime. Cut the dramatics. It's going to take a little more then being a good actress and sleeping with a few executives to get your name on the top of stationary."

Gohan charged into the room, looking at Lime, his eyes the size of dinner plates. "Lime? What are you doing here?" His heart was beating wildly and he could feel himself start to sweat when Videl looked amusedly at Lime. This was his worst nightmare come true.

 "I'm working on Hiroya Jun's case, Gohan," Lime purred, her green eyes sparkling. 

 "NO WAY!" The office chorused, turning back to their work when Bulma glared at them. Correction, THIS was his worst nightmare.

Lime looked at Videl, as though she had just noticed she was in the room. She walked around the older woman slowly, sizing her up silently. "I'm Satan Videl," Videl said uncomfortably. "You look familiar somehow…" 

Lime's green eyes flashed at that particular unflattering reference. "Satan Videl, huh? I love your outfit, Videl." Videl looked down at her black suit. "You're so lucky, I could never wear anything off the rack." The men in the office slowly backed away. Gohan tried to get between them, but Seventeen held him back before he got burned by the blue battle aura Videl was giving off.

 "Yes, and I can see why," Videl commented, glaring at Lime. The officers catcalled and "Oooooooh!"ed their hearts out. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we?"

Bulma cleared her throat as everyone went back to worked at their desks. "Hello, Lime. You remember me, don't you? I'm this state's assistant district attorney. Before we cut any deals, we'd like Jun to speak with Seventeen, who is our resident psychiatrist. If we can conclude that the Mrs. Hiroya was not of the right mind when she acted, we will proceed in cutting her a deal. If not-- "

Lime lifted her head arrogantly as she beckoned for Jun. "We're not cutting any deals. I'm bringing this to court."

Videl laughed dryly. "Your client just CONFESSED to murdering her son. You _really_ think you can get her off?" 

Lime gave her a superior look, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. "I'll see you in court," she then turned to Gohan, who was turning a familiar shade of green, "and I'll see later." She blew him a kiss and sauntered out. Jun followed her reluctantly, giving Videl on nervous glance as she followed Lime.

 "I feel sorry for Mrs. Hiroya," Krillin sighed. "Lime wants to show everyone she's a good lawyer, not just a widow four times over who's catching a free ride. She's just a snob and slumming _pro bono_ for her hoity-toity Wall Street firm."

 "Where the hell do these people learn their ethics?" Videl muttered as she glared at Lime's receding figure.

Seventeen shrugged. "Law school?"

Even Bulma had to laugh. "Well, that certainly explains Vegeta's attitude."

 "Hey, what Vegeta lacks in morals, he makes up for in ego. He's the perfect DA." Krillin prayed Vegeta hadn't magically heard him somehow.

Videl quickly turned serious. "Hey, how do you guys know Lime?"

There was a dead silence before everyone went back to the hustle and bustle of work.

Videl watched as Gohan slumped his way into his father's office, slamming the door behind him angrily, nearly shattering all the windows in the office. _Jeez, Gohan. You really know how to pick them, don't you?_

---

Vegeta turned to face the two detectives, noticing the temperature drop in the room as Videl gazed coolly at Gohan. His wife sat on his desk, crossing her legs eloquently. "Here's how I see it, Vegeta. We get Hiroya Jun for Second Degree murder. She was indirectly involved with Kei's murder and that's the best we're going to get. I'm going for it. I can win. I know I can. Miss High and Mighty 'Daddy paid for law school' Lime thinks she can win, but we all know better. I will win"

"I see we have more than one ego in that courtroom with a penchant for winning," Vegeta smirked, quite proud of his wife.

"Guilty as charged, dear."

 "Can't we get her for first degree murder for her son?" Krillin asked. "She didn't do the actually killing of Kei, but she killed her son."

Bulma nodded. "True, but we don't know that for sure. We can only be certain she was an accessory in the murder of Kei. We have to get her on what we can, don't you think, Gohan? Videl?"

 "I still want to get her on murder one," Krillin muttered.

Gohan stared long and hard. "I wouldn't mind putting Lime on the hot seat, but Bulma is right. We have to go with what we can. Unless we have hard evidence that Jun was even an accessory to murder, we have nothing."

 "Why don't you let the lawyers handle this, Gohan?" Krillin asked, rolling his eyes.

"Put them back in your pants, gentlemen. There's enough work to go around," Videl held up her hands. "We'll get Jun with second degree murder. We'll try for the son's murder but it's a long shot. All in favor, raise your hands. All opposed, go join the FBI, they could use a few more naïve idiots."

The room was silent, save for Vegeta's snort. _Whoops, I forgot that's how Vegeta got his start. _

 "Good. Now, let's adjourn for the day. Some of us have lives," Videl threw once last glance over her shoulder. "By the way, Gohan. Your shirt is buttoned wrong. Might want to fix that before your mother sees."

Touché. 

---

Videl rang the doorbell to the Son household with chicken soup in her free hand. Chi-Chi had been infected with the flu for almost a week and Videl decided that she would pay her a little get well visit. It also didn't hurt Goten was home and she could probably get information out of him about Gohan and Lime's past relationship. This had gone far enough and now she needed, no, DEMANDED to know what the _hell was going on and what she was up against. Goku opened the door, happily welcoming her into his modest sized home. As he took her soup (eyeing it hungrily she noted) he informed her that Chi-Chi was currently sleeping, but she could hang around for as long as she wanted._

 "Thank you, sir." As soon as she stepped into the living room, Goten was immediately at her side, talking a million miles per second while ushering her to the couch. "Hey Goten. How's school going?"

Goten shrugged as he bounced up and down on the couch. "School's good. Mom is a tad angry because my cell phone bill was high this month. I tried to explain to her the importance of my cell phone but she just doesn't understand!" Goten continued to chat happily with the detective, blissfully unaware of the fact she was barely listening to a word he said. "And then Trunks walked RIGHT into the girl's locker room. He was SO mad at me for leading him to the wrong room, but it was SO funny to see the look on his face and the view wasn't too shabby either," Goten muttered the last part under his breath.

 "Goten, sweetie?" Videl asked as sweetly as her voice would allow. "This girl, Lime, do you know her?"

Goten's dark eyes widened as he put his hands over his mouth. "The name we dare not let cross our lips! Mom said if we did, _bad things would happen to us. But anyway, no one likes to talk about her, or it."_

 "I can see that," Videl turned to the teenager, edging closer to him, putting her hand on his knee. His face turned strawberry pink as his eyes went slightly glassy. "But you can tell _me_, Goten. Can't you?" Her voice was bordering on phone sex operator/cheesy girly girl from a soap opera. "You can trust _me_."

 "Well, I can't—" Videl moved her hand up his knee slightly. Goten gulped audibly. "W-well, you see Lime and Gohan used to date in high school.  They dated all through high school;  I think they started seeing each other exclusively when they were fourteen. Gohan was totally hung up on her and I really liked her too. She was nice and pretty and smart, but not as nice and pretty and smart as _you_, Videl," Goten quickly amended as he felt Videl's nails dig into his leg painfully. "They were inseparable.   Well, at least Gohan was. I think he was a lot more serious about her then she was about him," Goten looked sad for a moment.

 "So they had a bad breakup?" Videl's grip loosened on his leg. "But that doesn't explain why no one wants to talk about her or why Gohan looks all panicky whenever she comes around."

Goten raked a hand through his hair nervously. His face turned even redder and he tried to stutter out an explanation. "Well, you see, Lime was uh… Gohan's first girlfriend and first… other things…" Steam practically puffed out of Goten's ears.

Videl nodded knowingly, smiling at the embarrassed teen. "I guess that can be traumatizing, to be dumped by the person you lost your virginity to. I always thought Gohan was the kind of guy who would have stayed a virgin until he was married, or at least engaged," Videl snickered, but stopped as soon as she saw the panicked look on Goten's face. "YOU'RE KIDDING! They got MARRIED?!"

 "SHHH!" Goten put his hands over her mouth, looking around wildly to see if his father had heard. "No, they didn't quite… get married. They were engaged for about a year and the wedding was  held in the spring of Gohan's first year of college. It was a really nice ceremony, big and expensive, except it was missing one thing."

 "What?"

Goten sighed, looking depressed. Videl couldn't prepare herself for what he said next. "The bride."

Videl's mouth dropped open, hitting the floor almost quite literally. "Oh. My. GOD. Gohan got jilted at the alter! Well that certainly explains a lot." She looked thoughtful as she leaned against the couch. "No wonder he practically threw 'The Wedding Singer' and 'Runaway Bride' out of the window of my apartment. Did she leave a note or tell him why she could go through with it?"

Goten pushed a lock of his long black hair out of his face. "Well, I was only nine when it happened, but this is how I remember it…"

_It was a beautiful spring afternoon, not long after Gohan's nineteenth year. The wedding took place outside of Capsule Corp., if I remember correctly. Bulma hired the most expensive florists to do the flower arrangements. There were pink and white flowers all over, hanging in the trees, on the table… it was terrible for Krillin's allergies, his eyes were so watery everyone thought he was crying, it was hilarious. There were a lot tables and chairs set up, I think Lime invited the whole damn town.  Every guy wore a tux, even Vegeta, and he hates the little bowties and I was looking very cute if I do say so myself—Alright, relax! I'm getting on with the story… The bridesmaids were wearing tasteful light blue non-poofy dresses and Trunks and I were both appointed to be the ring bearers. Marron was about four at the time and she got to be the flower girl, but ended up using all the flowers before getting to the end and wanted to pick up the ones on the ground to finish.  Iit was pretty funny, especially when Eighteen had to pull her away before she could throw a tantrum. Anyway, Gohan was wearing a black tux and Dad was at his side as his best man. Everything was going as planned until…_

Chi-Chi tapped her foot impatiently, nervously playing with the mandarin collar on her black and gold silk dress. "What's taking Lime so long? Did she get lost or something?"

 "I hope nothing's wrong," Bulma whispered, looking at Gohan's distraught face. "It's already been forty-five minutes." She was about to comment on how it was rude to be late to your own wedding when her cell phone rang. Bulma listened to the voice on the end, bid them goodbye and turned to face Chi-Chi, a horrified look on her face.

 "Who was it?" Vegeta asked on the left, trying to rip his bowtie off.

Bulma braced herself before making the long walk towards the pier, not bothering to answer her husband. She pulled Gohan slightly to the side, putting her arm around his broad shoulders. "Gohan, I just got a call from Lime's mother."

 "What happened? Is Lime okay?" Gohan looked stricken at the though of her being hurt.

Bulma nodded. "She's fine, but it seems… that she won't be coming today."

Gohan's smile froze on his face. "Did—did she say why?"

Bulma shook her head, hugging him sideways. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Do you want me to say something?" She gestured towards the fidgeting audience.

 "No, I'm fine. Could you -- could you please just excuse me for a moment?" Gohan's voice was tight as he walked towards a small tent like room just beside the flower covered pier. He looked himself in the mirror, running his fingers through his hair. "It'll be okay, man. It'll be alright," he told his reflection. A white hot anger took over his body, his fists were shaking at he felt a tear slide down his cheek. He cried a bloodcurdling scream before punching the mirror, shattering it completely.

It broke into a million pieces, just like his heart.

***

 "And that's how it happened," Goten sat back on the couch. "Gohan was a wreck.  He didn't shave for six months and sat around his empty apartment watching bad daytime television. He flipped out if anyone mentioned anything close to 'wedding'. He nearly killed Yamcha when he talked about his new bedding." 

Videl bit her lip. "I never knew how serious it was. I _knew_ I didn't like her," she mused. "Well Gohan's lucky; if they had actually gotten married he would have been her first victim."

 "What do you mean?"

Videl grinned slyly. "Lime is known in some circles as the "Red Widow."  She's had four husbands in the last eight years, and they all died of questionable causes. I say Gohan got off pretty lucky."

 "I am inclined to agree. It's more then slightly suspicious, although all of her so called husbands were so old they were collecting social security and cleaning their teeth in a cup," A new voice said from the doorway. Videl and Goten's heads snapped in that direction. "Which only makes Gohan look more pathetic in comparison." 

 "Vegeta, you cannot possible be that cold and pitiless," Videl rolled her eyes at the DA.

Vegeta smirked, setting himself down next to her. "Dear child, you constantly underestimate me."

Videl gave him an amused look. "I wish I were Einstein, because then I'd invent a time machine and go back to a time when you were nice."

 "Vegeta was _never_ nice," Goten piped up helpfully.

Before Videl had a chance to comment, a loud and painful cough coming from Chi-Chi's room interrupted her. "I guess she's awake." Then, before she could get up and see her, Chi-Chi flew into the room, dragging Goku with her. He looked more interested in the homemade soup then the current drama.

 "Did someone say LIME was back?" Chi-Chi wheezed, sneezing into a Kleenex. 

Goku gestured behind his ill wife, shaking his hands and head repeatedly. "That's right," another new voice answered. "Hello, Videl. What are you doing here?" Gohan asked pleasantly.

 "I was coming to see how your mom was doing, but since she was sleeping I was talking with Goten," she answered indignantly. "I didn't come here to talk to _you."_

 "It's a good thing. Last time we talked, I nearly got whiplash from a verbal assault."

Chi-Chi wrung her hands, her gears fully set on melodrama. "Gohan, you have to stay away from Lime. This woman has no morals, no ethics! And most important of all- no reflection!" 

Gohan rolled his eyes as the people in the room tried to hold back their laughter. He wordlessly walked out of the room, more then a little tired of being mocked by his parents, brother and friends. Everyone looked expectantly at Videl. "_Fine_, I'll go talk to him."

 "Did you come to make fun of me some more?" Gohan asked as he got out a sandwich from the refrigerator. 

 "You don't have to act so proud Gohan. Everyone makes mistakes. Cut that 'holier then thou' shit out. You're a man, not a God. You're not indestructible.  You're a person, and every person craves physical contact once in awhile. In your case, a long while," Videl said dryly. "Physical contact extends our lives, you know."

 "Then I'll probably outlive Styrofoam," Gohan took a bite out his sandwich. After a moment of silence, "Why are you suddenly talking to me?"

Videl shrugged. "Out of the goodness of my heart, I decided to forgive your lack of trust in me."

 "Goten told you what happened, didn't he?"

 "… no…"

 "Don't feel sorry for me," Gohan threw his plate in the sink, unable to meet her eyes. "I don't need your pity."

Videl nodded and crossed her arms in Vegeta-like fashion. This boy could just as stubborn as she was. "I know. Just remember, I'm here to talk if you want. I doubt the Crazy Company in there will be much a help."

 "You don't… think any less of me?" He finally met her gaze, his dark eyes slightly pained. "I just slept with the woman who left me at the alter."

 "Why would I? I have more respect for you then anyone," Videl admitted. "Living with these people takes a certain kind of character. I'm surprised you haven't gone crazy yet." She pinched his cheeks, leaving her hands in their comical position. "Don't ever be afraid of disappointing me, Gohan. I've done things in my life that even _Vegeta_ would cringe at."

 "Will you tell me about them sometime?" Gohan put his hand larger hand over hers, squeezing slightly.

Videl rubbed his head affectionately and stood up. "Maybe when you're a little older, dear. I wouldn't want you to have nightmares. I'm going to go say goodbye to your parents, then I have to swing by my dad's house to help him out with his speech. Call me later, I don't care what time."

 "Just not during ER, Sex in the City or Third Watch, right?"

 "That's my boy," Videl gave him a two finger salute and a wink. 

Gohan watched as she exited the kitchen, staring long after he heard her say her good byes and leave the Son house.  Every time Gohan thought he had Videl figured out… man.  She was _something_.   She made him _feel_ things, made him want to escape the emptiness and fill the void in his heart.  He cared about her, he had to admit, in ways that often transcended mere friendship.  He cared about her in a misplaced, unreciprocated manner, and it was probably going to kill him.  Not to mention that there's her boyfriend and now, Lime.  Uch.  He banged his head against the table repeatedly, hoping to clear his head somewhat. Unsurprisingly, it didn't do anything but give him the mother of all headaches.

 "Gohan," Chi-Chi flew in, coughing pathetically. "You have to understand that Lime is taking advantage of your vulnerability. You don't really want to sleep with her, not really! Now a girl like Videl on the other hand—" Gohan slammed his head against the table one last time, hoping to knock himself unconscious. 

Not for the first and certainly not the last time, he cursed his unusually thick skull which he consequently inherited from his father.

 "—And SHE would never leave her fiancé at the alter—"

This was definitely going to be one of _those nights._

---

 "All please rise, the honorable judge Enma Daiyo residing," a police officer announced to the court.

Enma Daiyo was one of the most prominent judges in all of Satan City. He was a middle-aged man, at least seven feet tall and teetering that scales at three hundred pounds. He was stern looking with a beard and glasses and no one dared to cross him, in or out of the court. He was well known for the "Smith" case back in '95 when he sent a guy to jail because that poor sap just so happened to get tried on the same day the Lakers lost to the Bulls. Nevertheless, on good days, Enma was really quite fair. He had some blurred history with Vegeta that no one could never quite figure out, but then again, who didn't have some sort of blurred history with the perpetually angry DA? "Case number 402785, Satan City against Hiroya Jun with murder in the second degree. Counselor, please begin."

 "I'd like to call Hiroya Jun to the bench," Bulma paced alongside the small box.

 "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?" A court officer swore Jun in, leading her seat after a curt nod and a short yes.

Bulma stopped her pacing and looked Jun directly in the eyes. "Ms. Hiroya, could you please tell the court what happened the morning you last saw your son?"

 "We just had breakfast together, just like we always did," Jun whispered. "That was the last I saw him. That's exactly what I told the detectives."

Bulma folded her hands elegantly. "But that can't be, Ms. Hiroya. It was confirmed that your son was dead hours before then. An innocent girl and your son is dead, Ms. Hiroya. Choose your words carefully."

Lime stood up indignantly. "Objection, your honor. She's patronizing the witness."

 "Overruled. Please continue, Counselor," Enma said in a gruff voice.

 "Your son never made it to breakfast that morning, did he?" Jun shook her head, tears falling from her eyes, whispering what sounded like hail Mary's under her breath. "Because the night before you went to his apartment. You killed your own son is cold blood, didn't you? You stabbed him while he was sleeping!"

Lime shot up from her seat. "Objection!!!"

 "Overruled."

 "But your honor—".

Enma glared down at the young woman. "If you don't sit down this instant, I'll hold you up in contempt. Do I make myself clear?"

 "Yes, sir," Lime sat down quietly.

Jun cried openly now, sobbing into her sleeve. "No more questions," Bulma sat down in her seat next to Krillin. Lime stood up, walking towards the bench. "Ms. Hiroya, is it true that your son was a schizophrenic? That he often beat you up, went on violent rampages and broke things in your own home?"

 "Yes."

 "Did you often find yourself over powered by your son's violent behavior?"

 "Objection," Bulma cried throwing her hands up. "Relevance?" 

Enma's eye twitch slightly. "I find it very relevant to this case. I'll hear her out. Go on.

Lime smiled arrogantly at Bulma, who scowled back at her. "Isn't it true that you only killed your son as a last resort, because he beat you so badly that you were scared for the lives of others? That you sacrificed the life of your son to protect the lives of innocent people? That you sacrificed your own happiness for the lives of others?"

As Jun nodded, Bulma felt her heart drop into her stomach. She glanced at Krillin, a look of horror pasted on his face. Battered mother's syndrome.

They were royally and utterly screwed.

---

Videl wrapped her dripping hair in a towel as she quickly got dressed, swearing as she slipped and nearly hit her head on the sink. Someone was ringing the doorbell.  She vowed to kill whoever it was due to the fact she was missing precious moments of watching Noah Wyle and George Clooney in scrubs. She threw open the door, surprised to see Sharpner and Gohan with a bag, presumably filled with movies and food. "Hey, guys. Come in. I wasn't expecting you so…" she gestured down towards her Orange Star gym shorts and a tee shirt that was at least three sizes too big. "Excuse my state of undress."

 "Noted with pleasure," Sharpner commented, winking slowly.

 "Sorry for coming unannounced," Gohan put the bags down on the coffee table that was in front of Videl's impressive television. "I got some Chinese food and Sharpner brought the movies. I think the theme tonight is scary movies." Gohan pulled out a few small white boxes as Sharpner pulled some plates out from Videl's cabinet. "You like steamed shrimp and broccoli with white rice, right?"

Videl nodded as she ran a brush through her tangled hair, wincing as she brushed through the knots. She quickly braided her hair as Gohan shoveled her food onto the plate. She plopped herself down between the two young men, giving them a cheery smile. "This is great," Videl folded her legs underneath her. "I'm missing Noah and George for you two losers. You're lucky it's a repeat tonight."

Sharpner gave her a playful nudge. "Shh, credits are rolling." Videl leaned her head on Gohan's broad shoulder, her eyebrows raising suspiciously as she watched the scene unfold on the television. "That's not the girl I remember from 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.' There's a girl who kind of looks like her… and she's…" 

 "… kissing the female police officer…?" Gohan asked, his eyes widening comically. "And she's… taking out her handcuffs?!"

Videl grabbed the box from the coffee table and scanned it carefully. "'I Know _Who_ You Did Last Summer?' Sharpner, you didn't," Videl groaned, putting her head in her hands. She flipped through some other covers. "'The _Sexorcist?' For the love of all that is good and holy, you sick pervert," Videl couldn't help but laugh. "Gohan, I never knew _you_ were into this stuff."_

Gohan choked on his ribs, nearly swallowing them whole. "I had NOTHING to do with this, Videl. I'm just as surprised and… horrified as you are." Needless to say, his tone was less then convincing.

 "Well I don't see you jumping to turn it off," Sharpner cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "The wonders of special effects. Gotta love it. Oooh, yes." 

Videl stared, transfixed on the television. "We should turn this off." She brought a shrimp up to her mouth, but missed.

 "Yeah," Gohan agreed, the same dazed look on his face, trying to drink from Videl's hairbrush, mistaking it for his water bottle. "We should. It's wrong… and demeaning to women…" If Videl were paying attention, she would have seen his glasses fogging up.

 "Yeah…"

 "Right…"

 "Mhm…"

 "Could you two shut up? We're missing the best part."

 "I guess it couldn't hurt if we appease Sharpner… just this once…"

 "Right… appeasing Sharpner…"

 "Of course…"

The doorbell rang for the second time that night, although none of the people staring at the television could bring themselves to get it. It rang persistently and loudly, annoying the hell out of Videl. "Fine, I'll get it," she trudged towards the door, opening it, only to find Lime on the other side, smiling brightly. Videl then proceeded in slamming door in her face.

 "Videl! Open up, please?"

Videl sighed and opened the door once more. "What are you doing here? How did you even find my address?"

Lime shrugged, her eyes glittering. "Is Gohan here? I've been looking for him all night and I figured he must be here. And I see I'm right!" Gohan grunted once to acknowledge her, but his eyes never left the television.

 "Look, we're watching scary movies so you'll have to go." Videl said bluntly.

Lime clasped her hands together like a child. "I _adore_ scary movies!"

Videl motioned for Lime to come closer as she whispered into her ear. "Look, I'm going to be honest here. It's kind of embarrassing, but we're watching dirty movies."

 "I love dirty movies…"

Videl slammed the door in her face once more, moving back on the couch. "Who was that?" Gohan asked, in a bemused, hazy voice.

 "No one. No one at all…"

---

Gohan finally forced himself to go home after four hours of porn and over a hundred dollars worth of Chinese food. Porn or no porn, he had a great time.  Watching Videl's every changing expressions at the movies were priceless in itself. He felt a little less confused then he did before, knowing there was no rush to define his feelings towards her. It was easier just to be comfortable and have a good time with her, no strings attached. Uncomplicated. That's exactly what he needed in his life.

Predictably, he found Lime waiting for him at his apartment. In his bed. Completely naked. Blaming the dirty movies he had watched only minutes before, he succumbed to temptation as he knew he would, but not before promising himself he would change his locks as soon as possible. _You're a man, not a God. _Videl's words rang true. He was weak. He gazed the woman to his left and resisted the urge to smother her with his pillow. "Gohan?" Gohan tried to pretend to be asleep, but the bitch tugged at his hair.

 "WHAT?!" Gohan took his glasses from the night stand. "Are you _still here?"_

Lime chose to ignore that. "I need to talk to you about something."

 "Fine, you can stay the night. But if I hear you snore even a little, out you go."

Lime dug her red nails into his back. "Gohan! I'm being serious. I… need a little favor. It's not a big deal," her fingers tickled the part of his back she just clawed. "It's just a teensy, weensy, itsy, bitsy, little favor."

Gohan sighed and turned towards her. He slipped a white tee shirt over his head, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What?"

 "Could you get Bulma and Krillin to make Ben's medical records public? Before you say anything, hear me out. It would be helping both sides. It'll show that Jun did what she thought she had to and that Ben really was a threat to society. She already confessed to the crime and we both know she's going to end up going to jail. But it doesn't have to be for the rest of her life. The woman has nothing to live for and you're going to take away her freedom too? We both know she isn't a malicious killer."

Gohan rolled over on his side. "I'll see what I can do." _The fox has lured the weakened prey into it's den. _

 "You're the best, Gohan. Now, let's get back to what we were doing…"

_It won't be long now._

---

 "I'd like to bring the jury's attention to exhibit d," Lime held up a blue folder. "Ben's medical records. For a _very legitimate affirmative defense. Defense of third parties." She handed the folder to Enma._

_Son of a BITCH, Bulma swore in her mind. Lime was supposed to prove Ben was sick enough to be proved a threat, not try to get her client off with no jail time by making her a fucking savior. __This is the last time I ever do Gohan a favor. "I'd like to call Dr. Klein to the stand, from Bellevue hospital."_

Bulma threw a glance at her partner who just shrugged. "Dr. Klein, could you explain to the court what Benjiro was like without his medication?"

Dr. Klein, a burly and hairy man stared down at Lime. "He used to see things. He would become violent and temperamental. We'd have to heavily sedate him to get him to stop hurting the staff even hurting himself."

 "Would you consider him a threat to society?"

Dr. Klein nodded. "Without his medication, he could kill someone knowingly."

 "Thank you, Dr. Klein." Lime pulled out another file, this time in a manila envelope. "I'd like to bring the court's attention to exhibit e. Five years ago, a man by the name of Jioro Hiroshi was beaten to death."

 "Objection, your honor! What does this have to do with anything?" Bulma asked, exasperated.

 "I'll allow it. But you better have a point to this, Counselor. I will not have my court become a three ring circus," he warned.

Lime nodded. "Hiroshi was beaten to death and the only evidence the detectives had to go with was a boot mark on his face. A pair of size nine, rubber sole, Timberlands. Now, Mr. Klein. Can you tell me what items that were found in Benjiro's room in Bellevue?"

 "A card game, some clothes, and a pair of size nine, rubber sole Timberland boots."

_Fuck. Fuck, fuck, FUCK. Krillin bit his thumb nail. He had seriously underestimated law schools since the last time he attended one._

 "Interesting. No more questions," She sashayed back to her seat, throwing a victorious grin towards the prosecution.

Bulma stood up, trying to control her beating heart. "Dr. Klein, is it true, that medicated, Benjiro was perfectly able to function? He wouldn't see things, he was calm, and dare I say it, even docile?"

 "That's true."

 "Let's say Benjiro did NOT take his medications like he was supposed to. What would happen then?"

Dr. Klein played with the knot in his tie. "He was capable of killing people at random, just because he felt like it. Since he refused to take his medications, this is very likely the cause for Ms. Issei's death."

 "No more questions, your honor."

 "Defense?" Enma looked towards Lime.

 "No more questions, sir."

Bulma stood up once more. "The prosecution would like to call Hiroya Jun to the stand." Bulma brushed her hands through her bright blue hair. "Ms. Hiroya. How did Benjiro get the keys to your car, the car in which ran over Issei Kei? Did he steal it?"

Jun's voice shook. "I gave him the keys to my car to help him calm down. I thought a nice, relaxing drive would help him clear his head. I never—never thought he would run over a girl," Jun sobbed into her sleeve.

In the far back, Kei's parents gasped, holding on to each other for support. Hayato couldn't control the tears rolling down his face. "But by giving your son the keys, you are indeed, while indirectly, responsible for Issei Kei's death. You never gave him his medication and then you gave your unstable, unmediated son your car keys. What did you think would happen, Ms. Hiroya?"  She tossed an exasperated look at Enma when he glared at her.  "No further questions, your honor."

 "Closing arguments?"

Lime stood up, walking smoothly and gracefully towards the jurors. "When we send a criminal to jail, we do it to make sure that they're off the streets. So that they aren't a danger to society and so they won't commit the same crime again. But what do we do when the criminal, really isn't a criminal at all? A working, single mother trying to support her emotionally disturbed son. A son who had once burned her with his cigarette, who cut her hair in her sleep and beat her up on a daily basis. She put up with it for over twenty years. Hiroya Jun was tired of seeing innocent victims like herself be taken advantage of and she did something about it. She sacrificed her dreams of living a life with her son, to save the lives of others. That doesn't sound like a criminal to me. That sounds like a hero."

Bulma passed by Lime, not giving her a passing glance. "When did the law get amended to say murder is legal when convenient for the murderer? Yes, Hiroya Jun was a victim of abuse, but she _killed her son. She had __options. She could have given him his medications, or called the police.  But Hiroya Jun did none of those things.  Instead, she murdered her own son IN COLD BLOOD, and, because of her recklessness, two people are dead. You can dress it up any way you want, but you can't deny the facts. She is guilty of murder, directly and indirectly. __Murder. That doesn't sound very much like the actions of hero to me."_

Enma nodded. "Thank you counselors. We'll have a short recess and then the jury will have their decision."

Krillin patted his partner on the shoulder. "Amazing job as always. Even though she played dirty, you still hung in there. I'm proud of you, Bulma."

 "I just hope to God it was enough. Oh, and Krillin?"

 "Yes?"

 "Remind me to give Gohan a swift kick in the ass later, okay?"

 "Noted."

---

 "Has the jury come to a decision?" Enma growled.

The foreman stood up, a piece of paper in his hands. "We have your honor. We find Hiroya Jun, with Murder in the Second Degree…"

Bulma held her breath. The room was dead silent, excluding the sound of her heart beating.

 "Guilty."

Lime put her arm around Jun as she collapsed. Jun looked almost relieved at the burden of guilt being lifted from her shoulders. "But… do we have to send her to jail?" the foreman asked timidly. But Jun had a steel resolve. She would take her punishment. She would be strong.

Bulma glared at Lime as the saddened jurors exited the courtroom. "Try that shit with me again, Lime and I swear I'll slap you in a federal prison so deep you'll need a wheelchair to chase the ambulances. Don't ever try to use me to get ahead with your career. I let my guard down once, but don't think it'll ever happen again."

Videl and Gohan walked over, Videl glaring at Lime the same way as Bulma had been doing. "Hey, Krillin. What do you call fifty defense lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?"

 "What?"

 "A good start."

Krillin burst out laughing. "You're lucky, Vi. There's a law you know -- when you pass the bar, you gotta quit telling lawyer jokes. I had so many, too. Hey, how about this one. What do you call a Satan City detective wearing a three piece suit? The defendant." Gohan threw him an amused look.

 "Although, I do feel sorry for Jun. We were connecting on some level. She just didn't understand was that all her son needed was a little TLC."

Lime blinked. "What is that, some kind of new drug?"

Gohan rolled his eyes. "Tender, loving, care. Three things you know nothing about. You know, real feelings, beyond the euphoria of shopping and the smell of your new credit card."

 "Hey! I know what real feelings are!" Her pager went off. "Oooh! It's Pierre, my personal shopper. They just got in that little black Gucci dress I've been dying for!"

Gohan pulled Videl out of the court room before they burst out into peals of laughter. "How is it that when I think she can't get any more self-centered she always manages to prove me wrong?" He shook his head. "It was perfectly timed and EVERYTHING."

Videl patted him on the head. "Your life is strange, Son Gohan."

 "And getting stranger by the minute."

---

Later that night, Videl finally made it to her apartment, exhausted and weary. Putting the keys in the door, she nearly had a heart attack when she saw a dark figure sitting in an even darker living room. "Ken?" she asked, inching her hand away from her gun. "What are you doing here?"

 "Where have you been?" Ken's voice was dangerously calm. He was dressed appropriately in all black, his dark hair meticulously shiny and styled. His angry emerald eyes seemed to glow in the dark.

Videl threw her jacket on the table. "Out celebrating with Gohan, Krillin, Vegeta and Bulma. We went out for a few drinks. Nothing big."

 "You haven't been answering my calls."

 "I've been busy, Ken. You know that," Videl said impatiently. "I didn't do it on purpose."

Ken approached her, his hands on the wall over her head. Videl's eyes widened, unable to grasp what was happening. "It's because you've been with wonderboy, Son Gohan. Stay away from him, Videl. He's more trouble then you can fathom. He and his little friends have secrets that would make your skin crawl." Ken punched the wall roughly, walking out silently.

_What does he mean… Gohan has secrets? How could he possible know? _Videl stared at the wall Ken punched, noting the plaster that was dented. _How the hell  did he do that? What was wrong with him? _Feeling weak, Videl slid to the floor on her knees, staring blankly at the peeling wall.

_What just happened here?_

---


	6. Interlude 3: Criminal

About Law and Disorder-: I'll tell you how it all started. Ilana came home from college during the summer and made me sit in our room and watch old reruns of Law and Order. I ADORE that show now. The witty humor, the funny bad guys, the handcuffs, what's not to love? People have set the standard for these cop/detective fics and I've decided to break 'em all =D Videl is a homicide detective for the SCPD, working under Captain Son Goku. Everything is going fine and dandy, until Goku breaks the news to her: She's getting partner, which happens to be his son. Special appearances will be made by Vegeta (as the District Attorney) his prosecutor wife, Bulma and their son, Trunks who gets them all the fun gadgets. Krillin is Bulma's partner in prosecuting and Yamcha and Yajirobie are smart-ass cops who love to bother Videl and try to get laid.

Sounds like a fun place to work right? 

-Disclaimer hoedown-   
I don't own Vegeta and that makes me sad  
But I do own Leather!Gohan and that makes me glad  
So if you want to sue me, just go ahead and try  
Because I'll just make you feel guilty when you make me cry!

-------------------

**(A/N)****Christopher Sabat- "Dragon Ball Z" (1996) TV Series (voice) .... Piccolo (II)/Vegeta (II)/Zarbon (II)/Kamí (II)/Jaice (II)/Yamcha (II)/Nappa (II)/Vegeta Ou/Great Elder/Raditz (II)/Recoome (II)/Guru (II)/Mr. Poppo (II) (1999- )**

Ilana: Yeah. When you hear Piccolo and Vegeta fighting, it's the same guy fighting with himself. Either FUNi has a really low budget or Chris is suffering from schizophrenia.

Keryn: We'll leave that up to you to decide for yourselves. *coughCHRIS-SABAT-IS-TRYING-TO-TAKE-OVER-THE-WORLDcoughhack*

Ilana: Subtle, K-chan. Really subtle.

Keryn: He's kidnapped Eric Vale (Mirai Trunks/Dende VA) and shipped him off with John Burghmeier (Tien/script translator). He sent all the other-- *voice is muffled as two big men in black suits with FUNi on the back carry her away*. VIVA LA REVOLUTION! DOWN WITH THE MAN!

Ilana: Um… Good thing insanity doesn't run in the family.

Dr. Briefs: Of course it does!

Ilana: … dammit.

-------------------

-------------------  
  
Law and Disorder  
By: CCS Angel00   
Brought to you by: Waves and Rocks, baby!  
  
--------------------  
Interlude # 3: Criminal  
--------------------

_***_

_I've been a bad, bad girl _  
_I've been careless with a delicate man _  
_And it's a sad, sad world _  
_When a girl will break a boy _  
_Just because she can _  
_Don't you tell me to deny it _  
_I've done wrong and I want to _  
_Suffer for my sins _  
_I've come to you 'cause I need _  
_Guidance to be true _  
_And I just don't know where I can begin _  
_What I need is a good defense _  
_'Cause I'm feelin' like a criminal _  
_And I need to be redeemed _  
_To the one I've sinned against _  
_       Because he's all I ever knew about love…-- _Fiona Apple,_ Criminal_

_***_

_It was snowing, as it always was.   She was inside an auditorium where she was protected from the snow and yet there was a chill in the air that she could not ignore. The room was clearly decorated with Christmas fixings--  mistletoe, tinsel, toys and plastic candy --  giving the dull auditorium a professional look. They spared no expense to watch the young girl shine, she recalled. The daughter of THE Satan Megara. It was special, indeed.  Videl watched herself from the back of the auditorium, a certain look of pride on her face that clearly matched her younger self's. Mini-Videl was wearing a long, white, lacy nightgown with matching snow white toe shoes laced up to her already muscular calves.  She was only ten years old here, with the same snow white skin,  long dark hair pulled back into a severe bun and long, dark lashes framing her glittering blue eyes. But these eyes held a youthful innocence and a bit of mischief, nothing like her matured eyes now. She had managed to land the role of Clara, the lead in the Nutcracker Suite. The older girls in her advanced class were so jealous that she, so much younger than them,  had landed the lead, but she didn't care about them.  All she knew was she was making her mother proud. She had to._

_Videl watched herself complete a _grand jeté, _a grand leap, that would make even a professional dancer jealous. The big leap was perfectly executed into the strong arms of the young man playing the nutcracker prince. He was dressed in a red and blue military uniform with shiny gold buttons, along with a tall blue hat on his fair head. He was easily five or so years older than her and at least five inches taller.  Yet, somehow, they looked perfect together.  The moved  as if they were trapped in a snow globe,  dancing only for themselves, never even realizing the audience was there. _

_Young Videl slipped away from the prince, stepping elegantly into two  pas_ de chats_, literally, "steps of the cat",  finally falling into a perfect string of _pirouettes_. Videl remembered how hard those were to do in the beginning;, she always had problems with spotting properly. She had crashed into the wall of the studio many times before she could land them without getting dizzy.  When she learned them, Kobylitsa swore, she would shine like the star she was. Videl turned her head to the left and saw her mentor, young and vibrant.  His elegant streaks of gray  were absent in his youth, but his wooden cane and his proud smile remained as he watched his star pupil light up the stage._

_"That's my daughter," a dark haired woman in a wheelchair whispered to Videl, her amethyst eyes glittering in anticipation. _

_"Really?"__ Videl played along, knowing fully well who it was. "The one playing Clara?"_

_The small woman nodded, giving Videl a strange look. "Of course. She is the daughter of Satan __Megara__, after all. She should be nothing less then the star. She wouldn't dare disappoint her mother like that." Everything started getting blurry, and Videl tried to concentrate on what her mother was saying. She could never quite get to the end of dream to figure out what her mother was trying to tell her. "A… disappointment…"_

_Videl watched herself fall from her prince's grasp, falling… falling from the stage. Screaming and crying for her mother…  And suddenly she felt herself falling as well. She was falling so fast into an oblivion and she couldn't pull herself up from it._

_"A disappointment…"_

_"No…"_

_"All… your fault… Not good enough…"_

_"No, no… stop…"_

_"All I wanted was for you to… Dance for me… You couldn't dance for me…"_

_"No… I can't…"_

_Videl tried to grab onto her mother's hand, but her hand sailed through hesr. Her mother's lips were moving, trying to tell her something, but Videl couldn't hear a thing over her younger self's screams and cries of terror. Videl closed her eyes for what felt like a century and when she opened them again, she found nothing, and the entire room was dark except for a lone spotlight resting on a wheelchair.  _

_And she was alone._

_--_

"No, no I can't," Videl moaned, half sleeping.  She sat at her desk, her head resting gently on her arms.  "I can't dance anymore… Can't… dance…"

Goku shook her shoulders gently. He had come in to remind her that she promised to help Chi-Chi with Christmas dinner when he found her sleeping at her desk. He smiled at how cute and innocent her sleeping face looked (especially the bit of drool on the corner of her partially open mouth), but quickly panicked as he saw her face contorting in horror.  "Videl—VIDEL!"

Videl shot up quickly. She was panting heavily, as if she had just completed a three minute mile. Wiping a shaking hand along her glistening forehead, she tried to breathe. "I'm okay," she said, trying to convince herself.  "I'm okay. I just had a bad dream." 

"You don't look so good, Videl." Goku put a cool hand to her forehead in concern. 

Videl slipped on her jacket and yawned, wincing as her shoulder joint popped at the change of position. "I'll be fine, it was just a silly nightmare.  And I didn't forget about dinner," she said.  "I just need to go home and take a quick shower. Do me a favor and make sure Bulma doesn't go anywhere near the kitchen until I get there, got it?"

Goku nodded. "Need a ride home?"

Videl shook her head, placing a scarf around her neck. "I'll be fine. Tell Gohan I'm just going to walk home."

"But it's snowing so hard—" 

"Don't worry about me," Videl pulled her bag over her shoulder and walked out quickly before her Captain could think of anything to ask her. As soon as she was out of sight, she pulled out a cigarette, quickly lighting it. The snow felt good on her warm face as she walked towards her apartment, killing herself slowly with nicotine. "When will I ever be free of the guilt?" she whispered to no one in particular. __

_When will I ever be okay?_

---

Christmas at the Briefs' was just as big and fun, if not more so, as their Halloween party. After finding out Videl could cook a decent meal, Gohan, Goku, and the rest of the men practically begged on their knees for her to help Chi-Chi with the meal. It would get done twice as fast, Krillin reasoned. And Bulma would never have to step foot in the kitchen.

The outside of the house was decorated in outlandish but not unusual Bulma fashion. There were Santas, reindeer, and elves galore. Tinsel and lights lined the outside of the house. "What? No dancing baby Jesus?" Videl asked as she entered the house, looking a hundred times better then she had this morning.  She gave her jacket to a robotic maid and walked into the living room, not surprised to see the men sprawled out on the couch, drinking beer and watching football.   She was, however, surprised to see Lime, who was quickly becoming her arch nemesis, sitting beside them.

And it was obvious her presence gave Lime a bit of a shock as well. "Videl? What are you doing here? Five words or less," Lime demanded, her green eyes flashing angrily.

"I. Was. Invited. Here… Bitch," Videl counted each word on her fingers. " What are you doing here? The sun is up."

"Grr…"

Videl ignored the glowing girl and waved to the men, rolling her eyes at their behavior. Even her own _father_ had blatantly ignored her for the higher purpose of watching the game. Videl made her way into the kitchen, grabbing an apron and wordlessly starting frosting the cake she had prepared the day before.

"That looks good," a deep voice said from behind her. 

Videl smirked at her partner, smearing the chocolate icing on the vanilla cake. "Maybe if you're nice to me I'll let you lick my spoon, Gohan." 

Chi-Chi nearly spat out the water she was drinking, but said nothing.

Gohan put his hands on her shoulders, peering over them. "I'm _always_ nice to you." He was so close, she could feel his breath on her neck. Whoops, nearly destroyed the cake there. Down girl… 

Chi-Chi pretended to busy herself with the turkey. Inside, she was laughing manically. _Finally, grandchildren… all for me… hehehe…_

Lime bounced into the kitchen, nearly knocking Chi-Chi over. Chi-Chi glared at her, raising her ladle to reprimand the young girl. "Okay, here's the Christmas menu so far: apple pie, pumpkin pie, blueberry tarts, and ice-cream rolls. What am I missing? ...Cake! We need cake."

Videl's eyebrows nearly shot off of her forehead. "Did you take a bong hit before you wrote that? We have cake, pie, and cookies. That's enough."

Lime wrinkled her small nose. _She probably had it done, _Videl thought bitterly as Gohan took his hands off her shoulders. "But that's _chocolate_," Lime whined in a tone that made Videl want to throw her off of Tokyo Tower.   "I'm allergic to chocolate."

"… chocolate it is then," Videl finished icing the cake, swiping her finger in the excess frosting. She thrust the spoon into Gohan's mouth. She nodded at his muffled thank you, pushing him out of the kitchen. 

He was intercepted by Vegeta, who stepped into the kitchen purposely. His gaze landed on Chi-Chi who was trying to thaw a big block of broccoli. "How far along are you?" he asked his rival's wife.

"I'm nearly done defrosting."

"And the broccoli?"

Chi-Chi threw a plate at his head, not surprised when he caught it. "Make yourself useful, Vegeta. Why don't you and the others start setting the table?" She was not at all surprised when he snorted at her and walked out, leaving the lone plate on the counter. 

"Good plan, Chi-Chi. Threatening him with work. Gets him every time," Videl gave the older woman a thumbs up. "How did you get Bulma out?"

Chi-Chi shrugged. "I sent her to the store with a list of supplies." Videl blinked. "Well, if you want to get technical, I told her to go the mall and pick up some food and you know how she gets distracted by all the clothing stores…"

"You're my hero," Videl said in awe. 

Lime cleared her throat. "Is there anything I can help with, Chi-Chi?"

Chi-Chi thrust a plate at her. "Yes, dear. Why don't you go set the table? You can get Goten and Trunks to help you." Lime look horrified at the manual labor, bit took the plates wordlessly to the table. "Easier then I though that would be. We're nearly done here, Videl. You can go out and just watch TV with the boys while I finish this up."  

Videl took off her apron, walking towards the television. "Whose winning?" she asked as grabbed a bottle of beer from the coffee table.

"Buccaneers," Yamcha moved over on the couch to give her room. "Doesn't matter. I know the Cowboys will come back. I have faith in my boys." There was a mix of groans and cheers as the Buccaneers scored another touchdown. Vegeta threw Yamcha a triumphant look, while Goku threw an empty can at his head. Satan and Krillin threw their cans at the television in annoyance. Yajirobie and Gohan were doing some sort of odd victory dance.

"Where's Ken?" Gohan asked absently, trying to look disinterested. "Is he not coming?" _That would be such a shame…_

Videl shrugged, taking a large sip of her beer. "He said he would meet me here later." Videl noticed Lime's scowl as she tried to get Gohan's attention away from the game.  When she saw that she wasn't getting anywhere, she threw her hands up and started on the setting the table, muttering under her breath. "How come you decided to invite her?"  Videl poked her finger towards Lime's retreating back.

"She invited herself. If I had said no, she would have just showed up anyway," Gohan rolled his eyes. "Just ignore her.  Everyone else seems to be."

Videl gulped down the rest of her beer, knowing this was going to be the longest night of her life. She'd rather be in a blissful numbness induced by alcohol then have to deal with Lime sober. "What about your uncle and grandfather?"

Goku pumped his fist in the air as the Cowboys intercepted the ball. "They'll be here later. Radditz said something about a surprise."

The sound of the doorbell interrupted Videl's response as did a certain blur of bright blue that had streaked into the living room. Bra, the littlest Briefs, was looking very sweet in a bright red velvet dress with white lace. "Daddy! Someone's at the door! Let's put out the welcome mat!!!"

Vegeta cocked an eyebrow, his eyes never leaving the television. "We don't have a welcome mat, Bra."

Bra put her thumb in her mouth, looking depressed for a moment. Suddenly she perked up, her blue eyes sparkling. "We can borrow Lime's! You know, the one you said she keeps at the foot of her bed?"

Unfortunately, just as the young girl had stated this, more then half of the guests had been drinking. Needless to say, Bulma would have to clean the carpet thoroughly to get the smell of beer out. "Bra, why don't you go get Trunks and Goten?" Yamcha suggested in a strained voice. "I'm sure they won't want to miss any more of this action."

Lime came stomping in, a butter knife in hand. "I HEARD THAT! Vegeta! How could you be so cruel?" Lime's eyes filled with unshed tears. "You know I think of you guys as family."

Krillin was about to allude to the Menendez brothers when he was interrupted by a stiff voice coming from the door way.  "Hello everyone," Ken said, sauntering in through the doorway.   Krillin gave a short wave and quickly turned back to the television. The others mumbled a few hellos and Satan ignored him completely.

Videl rose to give him a kiss when he wrinkled his nose, his glasses slipping off his nose slightly. "You smell like beer. I hate the smell of beer.  You know that."

Videl gave him a haughty look. "I'll have you know that a lot of guys would be dying to kiss me, beer breath or not," she crossed her arms over her chest. 

"I would!" Goten bounced in, giving everyone a glimpse of what he and Trunks had been working on only minutes before.

Trunks groaned. "I tried to stop him, I really did!"

Seventeen's ice blue eyes widened at what Goten had on top of his head. "Goten, what the HELL is that?"

"It's the mistletoe hat!"  Perched on top of  the black and silver Capsule Corp. baseball hat was a spring of mistletoe. "So pucker up!" 

Trunks buried his head in his hands. Why did he even bother with this boy?

"Genius," Videl laughed. "And here we all thought Gohan was the smart one."

Goten leapt towards Videl, closing his eyes and sticking out his lips comically. "You _have_ to kiss me. Those are the mistletoe rules," Goten insisted.

Videl wordlessly grabbed the teenage boy by his shirt, laying a kiss on him that would have better served a soldier going off to war. She held him there for a good minute before letting go.  Goten blinked a few times before losing consciousness altogether. "I should be ashamed of myself," Videl said reapplying lip gloss. "These lips are lethal."

The room was silent until Yamcha realized that Goten's hat had dropped when he passed out.  Chaos reigned as a struggle to obtain the sacred mistletoe hat ensued.  Vegeta, Satan, and Goku chose not to participate, and instead continued to watch the game, ignoring the rugby match going on behind them.

Bulma walked in moments later, looking confused to see the men wrestling on the floor over a passed out Goten. "Okay, what did you put in the punch, Vegeta?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.  

"I've been married four times and I've _never_ been kissed like that," Lime said to Ken, wincing as Yamcha kicked Yajirobie in the groin.

Ken's lip twitched as he watched from the sidelines. "I've been dating her for months and _I'VE_ never been kissed like that," he growled. Videl gave him a big grin as if to say "And you never will be if you're not nice".

Gohan closed his eyes serenely. If he just pretended his partner hadn't just stuck her tongue in his brother's mouth, he could forget it ever happened… "YES! BEHOLDETH THE POWER!" Yamcha made a grab for the hat, only to have it fly right out of hands, hitting Gohan square on the head. "NOOO!"

Gohan looked at the hat from every angle, finally putting it on his head. He looked at Videl expectedly and actually had the nerve to take a few steps towards her. She put her hand over his mouth when he was only inches away from her. "I think NOT, Rookie. I KNOW where your mouth has been and it's not touching mine." 

"I'll give you a kiss!" Lime skipped over to kiss him but Gohan smoothly stepped to the side. Lime flailed her hands as she lost her balance and fell on top of the unconscious Goten. Goten's eyes opened as he spotted Lime hovering over him, her legs entangled with his. 

"You know, I haven't had this dream since I was thirteen," he said with a straight face, "but it was more like a nightmare.   At the end of dream you ATE ME like the praying mantis you ARE!" 

Lime elbowed him in the stomach and got up with a huff.

"Videl! Come in here and help me for a second!" Chi-Chi called from the kitchen.

"Man, why did I agree to help her cook? I must have been sober," Videl shook her head, pulling herself up from the comfortable couch. "That _won't_ happen again."

Her father gave her a warning look. "Behave yourself."

Videl opened the kitchen door, the smell of turkey tickling her senses. "Could you just watch the turkey for me while I use the restroom?" Chi-Chi asked, taking her apron off. "I have to get the smell of onions off of me."

Videl nodded, sitting at the small table in the kitchen. She was watching so intently, she barely noticed Ken walk up behind her, putting his arms around her. Videl jumped up in surprise, her heart constricting as she shrieked. She smacked him on the arm none too gently. "Don't scare me like that," Videl put her hand over her heart. She had been rather jumpy lately, especially around Ken. She wasn't exactly sure why, and she hoped the feeling would go away before it ruined their relationship.

"Sorry, baby," he put her arms around her waist, kissing her on the cheek. "I've really missed you lately," he buried his face in her hair, pleased that she smelled like the strawberry shampoo he recently gave her. "What's the matter? You're so tense," he rubbed her stiff shoulders soothingly.

Videl stepped away from him, averting her eyes to the stove. "I've been under a lot of stress. Once this holiday is over, everything will go back to normal," Videl promised, standing by the open window to have a cigarette.

"Maybe we could go on a vacation, just the two of us. Somewhere warm, where we wouldn't have to wear a lot of clothing," Ken grinned, wriggling his eyebrows.

Videl snorted as flicked her cigarette out the window. The shrill ring of the egg timer went off and she quickly pulled the turkey out of the oven. "I never have enough time to breathe, Ken.  I can't take a vacation."

"It's okay. Once we're married—" Videl almost dropped the whole turkey on the floor, "all that will change. We'll be together _forever."_

"Heh," Videl reminded herself to breathe. This was all happening so fast. Marriage? _Forever_? No no no… She couldn't even commit to a hairdresser let alone to marriage.  Suddenly, a _very_ welcome distraction known as the doorbell broke everyone out of their tense moods. Loud footsteps and voices could be heard from down the hall. Ken and Videl walked into the living room, staring at the other puzzled guests.

"Did you guys just hear bells?" Trunks asked. 

"It sounded like sleigh bells," Goten commented. "Who could it possibly be?"

Bra was the first to spot the mysterious strangers at the door. "Santa!"

"HOHOHO! Merrrrrrrrry Christmas!" Videl blinked up at the man dressed in a large red and white suit. A red cap adorned his long spiky hair which was pulled back into a pony tail. The lining of a pillow could be seen from under the velvet suit. The tanned man next to him was shaking his head in dismay, but was unable to keep a smile off of his scarred face.

"Radditz?" Vegeta asked, clearly amused. "And who are you?" he asked Bardock. "A Christmas elf?"

Bardock grunted. "You're one to talk."

Radditz cleared his throat, throwing his large red bag on the floor. "No, I am not Radditz, I am SANTA CLAUSE!" He flexed his muscles. "Defender of Christmas and justice and all that good stuff."

Bra raised her eyebrows suspiciously, looking eerily like her father. "No, you're not. You're Uncle Radditz dressed up like Santa."

Radditz's face fell. "Okay, kid, you got me. But I look pretty cool, don't I?" He twirled around, his fingers resting on his chin. He winked at Bulma who was in hysterics over his outfit. "Hey little girl," he leered. "Want to come sit on Santa's lap?"

Bulma tried to ignore the piercing look she was getting from her husband. "No thanks, I'll have to pass on that one."

Radditz pulled out a sheet of paper, scanning it quickly. He walked over to Videl, hands on enormously exaggerated hips. "Satan Videl. It says here you've been a very naughty girl this year. You know what happens to naughty little girls, don't you?"

"They get sent to a juvenile correction facility?" Videl asked dryly, unable to keep the amusement out of her voice.

"Okay, everyone! Dinner is on!" Chi-Chi called, beckoning everyone to the table. Radditz quickly stripped out of his Santa suit, energized by the mentioning of his sister-in-law's cooking. Everyone made their way to the table, sitting in their respective seats. Videl didn't know how, maybe it was because God hated her, but she ended up sitting between Gohan and Ken. Why was everyone in the universe against her?

"Shouldn't we say Grace?" Lime asked as everyone started helping themselves.

"Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub. Yay God!" Everyone clapped politely at Bra's performance. 

Lime shook her head. Could these people get any weirder?

Looking up from his turkey, Bardock raised an eyebrow at his youngest grandchild. "Goten? Why do you have ice on your head?"

"People kept trying to steal my mistletoe hat," Goten pouted into his mashed potatoes. He smiled hazily. "But it was SO worth it. Mistletoe, you're my new best friend."  Videl snorted into her soup, unsuccessfully trying to avoid everyone's stares.

"Everything tastes so good, Chi-Chi," Lime crooned sweetly from Gohan's left. "You must give me the recipe for the stuffing."

Chi-Chi delicately wiped the corners of her mouth. "You'll have to ask Videl for that. She's the one who made it."

"It's easy really," Videl said nonchalantly. "I used bread, spices, some herbs and… oh yeah, I spit into yours for good measure," Lime gagged, spitting her mouthful of stuffing into a napkin. She quickly took a drink of water. "Oh you're so silly Lime, I was just kidding! I didn't spit into your stuffing," Lime sigh with relief and picked at the turkey, putting it into her mouth, "I spit into your turkey, my mistake." Lime turned a bright blue, glaring suspiciously at the people trying to cover their laughter with coughs.

Goku stuck his whole fork in the lasagna and started eating happily from the platter. He looked at the other guests and his angry wife innocently. "What?"

Chi-Chi turned bright red and started screaming at the top of her lungs. "GOKU! What are you doing?! You can't eat from there! Your fork was in there! Now nobody can eat it!"

"That's all I have to do?! In that case, the fork's been in the ice cream, too!" Goku continued eating from the platter, sauce and cheese coloring his cheeks.

The Ox King stomped in from outside, shaking the snow out of his horned hat. "It's a blizzard out there! Sorry I'm late, the traffic was murder."

"Hi Dad. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat? Only you can't have lasagna... Or ice cream," Chi-Chi gazed disdainfully at said dishes which were infected by her husbands lack of hygiene and manners.

Goku stuck his fork in Videl's cake, making the rest of the guests groan. "Or the cake."

Chi-Chi threw her hands up in dramatic defeat. "Look at him! He's like an animal, marking his territory!" Goku stuck her with his fork, smiling evilly. "HEY!"

"What?" Goku oozed innocence. "That's a compliment."

Gohan buried his head in his hands. "I wish I could say I was adopted." He looked back and forth between his parents. "You know it's amazing I can function at all." Videl smiled sympathetically and tried to ignore the fact Ken's hand was on her right knee. She fought the urge to stab his hand with her fork.

Bra chewed her cut up turkey happily, humming her little song about God. Videl was about to ask if she should even be eating solid foods at such a young age, but then she remember who's kid she was and just grateful she used her fork at all. Bra's short attention span was soon turned towards Videl. "Videl, how did you meet Ken?" She then came to the realization that turkey made excellent ammunition. Trunks was less then amused.

"Was it love at first sight? How did you know?" Marron asked shyly. She was blushing slightly, a little embarrassed at her forwardness.

"Well," Videl sat back, gazing at Ken. "We met at the supermarket. Sharpner was trying to relive his glory days as quarterback of Orange Star's football team and started to toss me roll after roll of toilet paper.  He let one fly a little too much to the left and I ended up knocking over the shelf, which came toppling down on me and the poor man who just happened to be walking down the aisle. Almost gave him a concussion actually. I took him to the hospital and the rest, as they say, was history." Videl laughed at Marron's disappointed look. "See Marron, that's my secret to attracting men. You know, it's simple, really. You slap them around a bit, you torture them, you make their lives a living hell, and sure, the nice guys, they'll run away, but every now and then you'll come across a real prince of a guy like Vegeta who gets off on it." Vegeta smirked at her arrogantly.

Lime clapped her hands together. "Who wants to hear about how I met Gohan?"

"Actually—"

"We were high school sweethearts. I was head cheerleader and well… he wasn't exactly a football player or anything but he was still cute. Okay, he was a bit of a dork, but a _cute_ dork, if you know what I mean. After senior year, we were ready to get married but, it was just, Gohan wasn't financially dependable and I'm a girl with a lot of needs. Expensive needs. And I just couldn't go through with it," she sighed.

Gohan stopped glaring at Ken and looked at her coolly. "Once again, information that might have been helpful eight years ago."

Lime sighed deeply once more, ignoring Gohan totally. "But it doesn't matter. We're so much in love that we've rekindled old feelings into something new and wonderful. Even the sex is better." Videl downed her full glass of wine in one shot. Gohan blushed, busying himself with folding his napkin into a swan.

"You know, sex is something sacred that should be saved until marriage," Bulma put her hands over his daughter's ears. _But then again this is the woman who was married more times then Madonna changed her hairstyle…_

Videl looked at her incredulously. "You really expect us to believe _you waited until marriage to have sex? How stupid do you think we are, Bulma?" Trunks' eyebrow twitched noticeably. He did NOT want to hear this…_

"Fine! You got it out of me. Vegeta and I succumbed to temptation before we got married. I fell for Vegeta's boyish good looks but it didn't matter. We were in love. Right, Vegeta?"

Vegeta gnawed on the end of his turkey leg. "I wanted to get laid," he said bluntly.

"Oh my goodness Bra! Look, it's time for bed," Trunks grabbed his younger sister, ignoring the questions she was firing towards him. He practically threw her over his shoulders, glaring at his mother. "Well, you've just ruined another young impressionable mind. And who do you think has to answer her questions about sex? ME!" Trunks grumbled to himself. "And I really don't need to hear this."  He stalked out of the kitchen.

Eighteen snorted into her plate. "You're the typical man, Vegeta. Using sex to get what you want."

"How can we _possibly_ use sex to get what we want? Sex _is what we want," Seventeen informed his sister helpfully._

Lime sighed dreamily. "I was head cheerleader in those days. I was so good, they found it incredibly difficult to replace me after I left. No one could make up such witty cheers…" Lime blinked prettily. "Where was I again?"

"You were last seen climbing Mount Ego," Krillin injected helpfully.

Videl rolled her eyes. "Witty? I seem to remember a cheer that went something like 'Green Moon dolphins really stink, Orange Star Pirates will make then walk the plink!' What the hell is a 'plink' anyway?"

"It's plank!"

"Why didn't _I_ think of that?" Videl chuckled.

Lime slammed her glass down on the table. "You're just jealous!"

Videl narrowed her eyes at her. "Of what? Your wonderful rhyming skills or the fact that your ass fat is being injected into Melanie Griffith's lips as we speak?"

"THAT'S IT BITCH!"

Videl pulled out her magnum and pointed at Lime. "What did you call me?" Lime gulped and trembled a little.

_Holy shit, _Vegeta thought watching as Lime tried to hide behind Gohan. "You should come with a Surgeon General's Warning," he said dryly as Satan coaxed his daughter to put the firearm away before she hurt anyone.

Radditz put his hands up before anyone could get hurt. Namely Lime. "Girls, girls. No fighting at the table." _This is better then having front row tickets to WWE Smackdown. _"Videl, try to be a little nicer to Lime, okay?" Videl put her gun back into the holster and continued eating wordlessly. "Let's all just enjoy each other's company and being together."

Gohan grinned at Videl.  "You know, Videl reminds me so much of Mom, it's scary." Videl's eye twitched. What the hell was THAT supposed to mean? "You give her sympathy, she's going to want a fight; you give her a fight, and she's going to want a kiss; you give her a kiss, and I swear to God she'll bite your tongue out." 

"They _are_ very similar. Even the way that they're glaring at you like they want you dead right now, Gohan," Bardock looked back and forth between the two women. "I think a branch is going to be snapped off the Son Family Tree permanently."

Krillin snickered. "You know what they say. You always marry the girl who is most like your mother. I think you just gave Videl the kiss of death." Krillin started humming "Another One Bites the Dust" under his breath. 

"You couldn't pay me enough money to marry into that family," Videl rested her elbows on the table as she stared at the Son boys. "I love them but damn, they make the Osbournes look like 'Leave It to Beaver'."

Goten, unaffected by the insult, stared longingly at the cake plate that held the beautiful cake his father had devoured only moments before. "This stinks. We have no dessert. How can we have no dessert?" he whined, glaring at his father who was wiping the chocolate off of his mouth.

"Dinner without dessert… that's like posing nude for your art class and still flunking the course," Yamcha's comment raised more then a few eyebrows. "Shut up! I needed the credit!"

Bulma smirked at her ex-boyfriend, her blue eyes lighting up with mischief.. "Men. Can't live with them, can't shoot them."

"Women, you can't live with them and you can't have heterosexual sex without them," Radditz winked at her, licking his lips at her while Vegeta was busy taking more stuffing. 

Videl shook her head. "Maybe I'll hurry to the store and pick up a cake or something before Goten goes into hypoglycemic shock. Dad, let me borrow your car," she stood up and held out her hands to her father. 

"No need. I was going to wait until we exchanged presents but… here," Satan dug into his pocket and pulled out a set of car keys. She looked down at the keys. She blinked once. Twice. Three times. 

"Is that what I think this is?" Videl ran to the window, pressing her face to the glass. There is was, the Mercedes-Benz SL 500 Roadster 5.0L 2-Door Convertible in all of it's glory. It was silver and beautiful, so beautiful it made her want to cry. She threw her arms around her father kissing him repeatedly on the cheek. "You are the best father in the entire WORLD! No, in the universe!!!"

Satan grinned, cowering slightly at the glares he was getting. "So I take it you like it?"

"I LOVE IT!!!" Videl sighed happily. Everyone could practically see the hearts in her eyes. Her happy eyes narrowed as she gazed at the ever falling snow. "You know, it's falling pretty hard out there.   Maybe we should go out and cover the car?"

Goten waved his hand submissively. "You don't have to go out now for cake. Let's just get to the presents!"

Bra came stomping in, hands on her hips. Her face puffed up comically. "You made me go to bed and now you're going to open presents WITHOUT ME?! Why doesn't anyone looooooove me anymore?" Bra wailed, latching onto the nearest person, namely Gohan. 

Gohan patted her head soothingly. "It's alright Bra. Don't cry. We'll all open the presents together, okay?" Bra nodded and sniffled, but there was definite glint in those watery blue eyes. 

Everyone quickly finished up dinner and gathered in the living room.  Lime gazed at Videl, a thoughtful look on her face. Maybe they could get along, if only for one night. It would _definitely make her look more mature in Gohan's eyes. Plus Videl had a weapon.  What could it hurt? "Hey Videl?"_

"What?"

"Umm… I like your sweater…" _Good, start with a compliment, Lime. Good girl._ " I had one just like it… when it was in style." _This being nice stuff is harder then I thought. _

Videl scoffed. "And I like what you've done with your makeup. It really covers all of the scales." 

"That's not what I meant," Lime amended, a sincere look taking over her face. Gohan looked at his ex-fiancée, surprised at her tone. "God, these are the two hardest words to say…"

"'Not tonight'?" Sharpner asked innocently.

Lime ignored the biting remark with maturity she didn't know she possessed. "Um… I just wanted to say… I'm sorry…" Everyone turned to look at the lawyer. Videl looked highly amused, but appreciative none the less. "Sorry that… you're wearing a blouse that's as simple as you are." Gohan sighed and everyone went back to sorting through the presents, but it didn't fool Videl for a moment. Videl flashed her a small smile before attending to her own presents.

Ken, on the other hand, was not pleased. "Gohan, tell your ex-fiancée to stop picking on Videl. I don't appreciate the insults."

"Videl's a big girl, Ken. She can take care of herself. Besides, she does plenty of insulting herself."

"Are you okay?" Marron asked Videl. "You look very tired."

Videl smiled at the her concern. "It's just been a very long day. Let's see about these presents. Ah, here's the one I got for you," Videl passed the young girl a small box covered in gold wrapping paper. Marron ripped it open, staring in awe at the contents. A black, very expensive looking leather diary with her name in gold script and a matching pen were found inside. "Your father told me your old diary was ripping. I hope you like it."

"I love it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Marron said, giving the older girl a quick hug.  "You're the coolest adult in the universe!"

Videl grinned as Goten glowed over the palm pilot she had gotten him. It _did_ hold over six-thousand numbers and she even sprung for the extra memory cartridge.  He professed his love for her over and over, and was soon joined by Trunks when he saw that she had gotten him some new computer software that even _he_ couldn't find in stores. Ahh, the wonders of being cute, not to mention the daughter of the mayor. 

She glanced at the package in her hand, wrapped festively in green and red.  Gohan's present. This had been a toughie. It taken her nearly three weeks to get her hands on it.  She handed it to him, biting on the corner of her lip. Would he like it?

"Whatever it is, I'll love it," Gohan assured her, pulling her away from the rest of the guests. They sat on a couch in a dimly lit hallway. She stared at his slightly illuminated face, trying to decipher how he felt about the gift as he carefully opened the package. He looked slightly shocked as he finally finished unwrapping it.   "The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life by Dr. Armand M. Nicholi Jr." Gohan's eyes widened.

"Look inside, dork," Videl said playfully.

Gohan flipped it open. His heart stopped right then and there. A signed copy. The man who he most admired had signed _this book. And the woman he most admired had done it for him. "This is… wow…"_

"You like it?" 

"You're amazing."

"I know. But how about the present?"

"Looks like you hit it dead on. These are the four subjects I have been wondering about lately… and for most of my adult life…"

"Again, I know. I'm glad you like it. I would have been pissed if I found out I wasted eight hours of losing feeling in my limbs for nothing," Videl nodded towards the red box in Gohan's lap. "Could that possibly be for little 'ol me?" She batted her eyelashes up at him.

Gohan relented. "Here."  Videl gently opened the box, positively melting. "Oh Gohan…" She picked up a small, blue and white porcelain music, with intricate carvings of flowers and small birds, that instantly reminded her of the one her mother had given her as a child. She opened it to find a small ballerina on top, twirling to _Danza__ di Gioja**, **The Dance of Joy, the exact song her childhood music box had played. "How did you know?"_

Gohan ran his fingers over the inner satin lining and then finally around the small mirror that stood behind the ballerina. "About three months ago, we were sitting at Satan's Sanka at around six or seven o'clock. You were wearing a white button down shirt that was rolled up to your elbows and khaki pants. We were talking about how funny it would be to send Goten to military school for a day without his cell phone but then again, we could just send him to Vegeta's office which is an obstacle course in and of itself... You mentioned a jewelry box your mother gave you when you were eight. You also said that it had recently broken and you couldn't find another one like it. I think I got it right," Gohan closed the lid, running his fingers over the smooth, cold, porcelain top. "It was small and bone white, with blue flowers and birds. Inside was a little ballerina wearing a white outfit, with dark hair -- like yours -- and she stood in front of an oval mirror. She danced to _Danza__ di Gioja by J. Ascher, if I'm not mistaken."_

Videl gaped openly at the young man. "How could you remember something like that?"

His dark eyes bore into hers, making her heart skip a beat. His voice was soft and gentle, yet it spoke volumes to her. "I remember everything."

---

Krillin ripped open the last of his gifts, pleased to find a rather expensive looking leather briefcase underneath all of the purple tissue paper. _This must have cost someone an arm and a leg. _ He turned the card over, not surprised that it had come from the only and only Satan Videl.

_Krillin,_

_            Your current briefcase is an embarrassment to the judicial system and an insult to all. It has more holes then Lime has in her head. Use it in good health and stop thinking about the price. You were worth every penny._

_--Videl_

"That girl," Krillin said fondly, admiring his new briefcase from every angle. He opened it to find expensive looking fountain pens and pads of paper with gold engraved letter heads.

"Have you seen Videl?" Ken asked, a smug smile on his full lips as he approached the lawyer. "I want to give her this." He thrust a fuzzy object in Krillin's face.

Krillin's mouth dropped open. "A pink hat with ear flaps. How could you?!"

Ken laughed, his emerald eyes sparkling evilly. "Oh, no. I'm just giving it to her to see her pretend to like it. Then I'm going to give her this bracelet," Ken reached into his pocket and pulled out a long, black, velvet box. "Oh, there she is. Videl, love. Come here for a moment!"

Videl walked over, wine glass in one hand and a lit cigarette in another, Bridget Jones' style. "What is it, Ken? Uh, I think a more appropriate question is, what the fuck is _that?" She pointed her cigarette at the pink atrocity before taking a pull. _

"It's your Christmas present!" Ken said brightly, pulling it on her head. "You look _adorable_!"

The smoke choked her as she gasped, the hat taking her totally off guard. She pulled the accursed hat off in an instant and threw it to the ground.  Now, a different person would grin and bear the ugly hat and might even put on a small show of appreciation for the man who had given her said hat, but Satan Videl was _not one to put up with such a thing. "THAT'S my present?! What have I done to deserve such a—a—"_

"Extremely sucky and thoughtless present?" Gohan injected helpfully.

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" The two yelled at Gohan.

Krillin briefly wondered if Videl would pull her magnum on Ken.  Maybe she would point it at Gohan if she was in the mood, or him, the innocent bystander… hm… Krillin backed away slowly. No need to take chances. He had a family to think about after all.

Videl huffed, her cheeks turning pink. "I got you such a nice present too!" Videl practically threw a black box at Ken, which he quickly opened before his girlfriend had a nervous breakdown. He found a gorgeous silver Rolex watch shining beautifully in the light. The face was navy and the each dot representing a number was incrusted with a small diamond. It _was a nice present. Very nice, indeed. Ken decided to take pity on his wheezing girlfriend._

"Good. It matches what I got you," Ken pulled out the black velvet box. Videl snatched it from him, tempted to put her cigarette out on it. This is gorgeous," Videl breathed as Ken put the gold and diamond bracelet on her small wrist. She gave him a huge hug, kissing him on the cheek. "You got lucky, Ken. But next time you pull this shit with me I'm going to put my cigarette out on your tongue." 

Yamcha slumped over next to Videl on the couch, looking pale. "Videl, my head is spinning! And not in a good way, either," he whined, laying his head in her lap. He ignored the twitching of Ken's eye.

"Okay, let my try an experiment I did in college—"

Yamcha looked up at her, an innocent expression on his face. "Alright, if you insist on making out with Bulma, I can't stop you and it might actually make me feel better…"

Videl smacked him, hard. "NOT THAT KIND OF EXPERIMENT!"

Suddenly, without warning, the lights started flickering and soon the power went out all together.

"Ouch! That was my eye!"

"Eeek! Something cold touched my leg!!!"

"Get your hand off my ass, you pervert!"

"THAT WASN'T ME!"

"I found a flashlight!"

"THAT'S NOT A FLASHLIGHT!!!"

 "No one panic," they heard Bulma's voice through all the confusion.  "Gohan, can you go to the basement and try to get the power back on?"

"Bulma, aren't all of the doors operated electronically?  How do you expect me to open the door?" Gohan asked, wincing as someone pinched him inappropriately. "Watch your hands, buddy!" 

Lime rolled her eyes, putting her head in her hands. "Does this mean we're all stuck together until the power comes back on?" She put her mouth close to Gohan's ear. "Gohan, can't you just kick the door in or something?"

"The door is made of titanium," Satan gave the girl a weird look. "A bulldozer couldn't break through it."

Gohan cleared his throat. "Of course. Not even a bulldozer could knock it down, so how could I, RIGHT Lime?" His voice was tight and threatening.

"R-right. What was I thinking? All this excitement has made me a little hysterical. Sorry about that."

Bulma quickly lit a few candles, swearing under her breath as she burnt herself. Soon the room was dimly lit, but at least they could see each other. "We won't be going anywhere for awhile, so we might as well get comfortable."

Videl groaned. Not only was she stuck in the dark, but the heat was gone as well and her jacket was in a closet somewhere she couldn't get to. It was starting to get cold quickly and she felt the chill in her bones. She was stuck in a dark, cold, room and was already feeling suffocated. Thank God she kept her cigarettes in her pocket. She sat on the floor and leaned her back against the couch, willing herself to be strong. 

She felt Goten snuggle against her side like an oversized kitten. Augh, he was giving her those puppy eyes. Evil. Pure evil. She sighed in defeat and put her arm around him. Oh well, at least he was warm. He gave his brother the victory sign and an evil smile as she started playing with his long spiky hair. Gohan glared viciously.

Ken permanently developed a twitch in his left eye. How many Sons did he have to worry about making a move on his girlfriend? 

"I know! Let's tell scary stories!" Lime suggested, pressing closer to Gohan. "Who knows one?"

"How about the one where these people are all stuck inside of a house together on Christmas and this woman who was a homicide detective shot this incredibly annoying lawyer and since her father was the mayor, no one ever found the body?" 

Lime pouted. This was the thanks she got for trying to be amicable to Videl! "But Gohan would protect me," Lime said in a silky voice, snuggling close to Gohan.

"Hey guys," Seventeen interrupted, watching Videl's hands clench in the carpet. "A few of the guest bedrooms on this floor don't have automatic doors right? Some of us could go sleep in them and the rest can camp out here."

Bulma smacked herself in the forehead. "I almost forgot about those. Okay, so how do we decided who stays where?"

"I don't mind staying in the living room," Videl shrugged, rubbing her cold hands together.

"Me too," said Gohan quickly, detangling himself from Lime.

"Sounds like fun!" Lime chimed in.

Sharpner shrugged. "Oh what the hell. I'll stay in the living room too."

Ken sighed. "I will stay as well."

Trunks grabbed Goten and dragged him along. "You're not sleeping here."

"Buuuuut Trunks, I want to stay with Viiiidel!" Nonetheless, Goten let himself be dragged off. Videl wished the rest of the guests goodnight, kissed her father and dragged an ashtray and a bottle of wine next to her on the floor. The room was large, but it seemed small to her, and it was getting smaller by the moment. And colder. She could barely feel her hands and her nose was like ice. She felt someone put a warm jacket around her shoulders.

"Good thing I didn't put it in the closet," Gohan said with a crooked smile.

"But you'll be cold," Videl protested, but truly did not want to give up her wool-lined cocoon. The sleeves were much too long and it fell past her knees but it was warm and smelled like the cologne she had told him was her favorite. He had worn it everyday ever since.

Gohan shrugged. "I'll be fine. Are you feeling okay though?"

"And why wouldn't she be okay?" Ken snapped.

Gohan stared at the lawyer disdainfully. "I know for a fact she doesn't like being in enclosed spaces. Claustrophobia, you know. Or maybe, you didn't. There to seem to be a lot of things you don't know about your girlfriend."

Videl buried her head in her hands. Not again. Not another fight. Didn't they say they would try to get along? And that they wouldn't put her in the middle of one of their petty fights?

"Yeah well, I'll always know her better in ways than you _ever_ will!" Ken came back, grinning in satisfaction when Gohan stepped back as if slapped. He quickly recovered and they were nose to nose now. Sharpner and Lime's heads snapped back and forth as the men fought. Lime sincerely hoped Gohan would kick Ken's ass. She wouldn't wish that guy on anyone, even Videl. 

"If you will excuse me?" Videl got up, throwing Gohan's coat on the ground. She stormed into the kitchen, slamming the door behind her. Ken and Gohan both moved to follow her, but Sharpner stuck his leg out, tripping Ken. He deftly fell to the floor, hitting his head on the table. He was out in seconds. Lime's green eyes widened with alarm.

"Oh, he'll be okay," Sharpner assured her as Gohan took this opportunity to go after Videl. "Hey, want to play strip poker?"

Gohan approached Videl carefully. She was angry, he could tell. The tight way she had set her shoulders was a dead giveaway. She turned to him, her magnificent blue eyes blazing, her mouth curled in a frown. 

"I'm sorry," he said.

"You should be."

"While I'm sorry for upsetting you, I'm not sorry about what I said to Ken," Gohan said bravely. 

Videl nearly slapped him. "Are you trying to ruin my life or does it just come naturally to you? You're acting like such a child!"

"I'm only looking out for you, Videl," Gohan insisted. "He's a jerk and he doesn't deserve you."

Videl ran her hands through her hair, feeling tired. "I can't argue with you tonight. I don't have the strength." That, and she didn't want to blurt out that she agreed with him. That Ken didn't deserve her. That she didn't know anything about anything anymore and just why was he acting so friendly with Lime?

"Dammit woman, are you cheating or something?" they heard Sharpner scream.

Lime giggled. "Come on Sharpner, take it off! It's the rules!"

Apparently everyone wanted to act friendly with Lime. Had she missed the memo or something?

"I don't want to fight either," Gohan tugged at his own hair, frustrated. "I really am sorry."

Videl nodded, gazing out the window at all of the snow. "It's the snow. It makes me edgy," she admitted. "The day I found out my mother had committed suicide, it was snowing like this." Videl laughed bitterly. "It makes me remember. I remember when I was nine, I asked her if I would as beautiful as she was when I was older. 'No,' she said certainly, her eyes growing cold. 'Won't I be pretty at all?' I asked, feeling dejected. She looked me over carefully. 'No, I don't think so. But if you try hard enough, I'm sure _someone_ will marry you,'. Don't you see, Gohan? I was never pretty enough, or smart enough, or talented enough. She hated herself and wanted me to hate myself too," Videl shook her head, as if remembering was physically painful. "And everyone wonders why I'm so screwed up."

"Well, she was wrong. You're the most talented and beautiful woman I've ever known," he said honestly.

Videl let herself smile a little. "You forgot smartest."

"Well, I was including myself in there," he joked, unable to resist temptation and put his arms around her, holding her small frame to hisr. "Deep down your mother loved you very much," he whispered, stroking her hair with his left hand.

Videl let herself be held like a lost and confused child seeking comfort. That was certainly what she felt like "How do you know that?" she whispered back, her voice muffled by his shoulder. She was crying again, she noted angrily. She was so sick of crying.

"Because it would be impossible for anyone not to love you," he said, pulling away a little stare into her teary eyes. They were just as beautiful as when they were angry, he decided as he wiped a stray tear away with his thumb. A lot of questions ran through the young Satans mind. She wanted to ask him a million things, know a million things. Videl leaned up, giving him the barest of kisses, just slightly brushing her lips with his. 

Gohan's lips tingled pleasantly and warmth filled the coldest regions of his heart. It was a wet kiss, since she was just crying, and there was almost no pressure behind it. It hadn't so much been a kiss then a caress of her lips against his. He was confused about many things, but he was certain it was the most special kiss he had ever shared with someone. 

"I owed you," she explained, unable to look up at him. "You were wearing the mistletoe hat."

Some time later, after Lime and Sharpner ran out of clothes to gamble and they both fell asleep along with the unconscious Ken, Gohan and Videl let each other go, both staring out the window.

"Merry Christmas, Gohan."

"Merry Christmas, Videl."

Radditz and Seventeen looked at each other from their hiding place behind a huge statue of Bulma. "What do you make of this?" Seventeen whispered.

"Sev, I'm a cop. I've got keen instincts. And right now, my instincts are telling me that... I don't know what the hell is going on. You?"

"Me either," he admitted. "Oh well. Let's get some sleep."

"'Night, man."

"'Night." 

Each went into their respective room.

And nothing more was said.


End file.
